Sinn Fein
Sinn Fein is the oldest Republican political movement and party in Ireland. It was founded on November 28th, 1905 by Arthur Griffith under the united interest "to establish in Ireland's capital a national legislature endowed with the moral authority of the Irish nation". Many members who belonged to Sinn Fein participated in the Easter Rising of 1916, as the organization was made up of Volunteers as well as members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, which dates back to the Fenian Brotherhood of the 19th century, both being fraternal organizations promoting the establishment of an Irish republic independent of Great Britain.
Sinn Fein translate from Gaelic to "ourselves" or "we ourselves" symbolizing its dedication to a free and independent Ireland. No surprise then that the Easter Rising of 1916 was nicknamed the Sinn Fein Rising by the Irish newspapers. As Sinn Fein was made up of members of the militaristic groups such as the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Irish Volunteers it was born to be a group involved in the rebellious actions of its prime members. In the general election of 1918 just before the Irish War of Independence the Sinn Fein party seventy percent of the seats and therefore claimed themselves as the Dail Eireann, the parliament of Ireland.
Conflict followed this proclamation due to the fact that the Sinn Fein party supported the Irish Republican Army during the War of Independence. At the close of the war, Great Britain offered the solution of the Anglo-Irish Treaty which offered Ireland to become the Irish Free State, as a dominion of Great Britain with the same status as Australia and Canada. As the Dail debates ensued Sinn Fein became divided between those for and those against the Treaty. The group that split from Sinn Fein became known as the Worker's Party and became a socialist political party in Ireland. The opposing views in Ireland not only split political parties such as Sinn Fein, but divided the people of Ireland and led to the Civil War.
What created such a fuss in the treaty was the inclusion of the controversial Oath of Allegiance. This Oath to be made stated that Ireland was to be faithful to the King of England, at that time King George V, just as the other dominions were to recognize the King as the Head of State. To many in Ireland and especially the members of Sinn Fein, this was not the free Ireland they were hoping for. The republicans had fought and died for an independent Ireland, not a dominion of Great Britain. While the republicans lost the Civil War and the treaty was ratified, Sinn Fein survived. Sinn Fein is still a republican political party today in Ireland and is still relevant in fighting for the Republican views of the Irish people to be represented in Irish government and legislature.