2. De Valera's Achievement, 1932-48

About this Lecture

Lecture

In this module, Brian discusses the achievements of Eamon de Valera and the Fianna Fail party, who were in power continuously between 1932-48. The achievements are split into three sections: economic policy, constitutional policy, and foreign policy. In the second section, Brian concentrates on the creation of a new Irish Constitution in 1937 (often referred to as 'De Valera's Constitution'), while in the third, he explores Ireland's neutrality in World War II and increased isolation from Europe in this period.

Course

This course explores the making of modern Ireland, beginning in 1912 and ending in the modern day, and is split into five modules. The first module ('Birth of a Nation, 1912-32') looks at the violent period in Irish history between 1912-23 and attempts to stabilise the political and economic situation from 1923-32. The second module ('De Valera's Achievements, 1932-48') looks at the rise of Fianna Fail and their achievements over the next sixteen years - including their neutrality during the Second World War. The third module ('Crisis and Transformation, 1948-66'), explores the social and economic problems of the 1950s, up to the election of Sean Lemass in 1966. The fourth module ('The Modernisation of Ireland, 1966-97') looks at the various social, economic, and constitutional changes during Lemass' premiership and beyond. Finally, the fifth module provides a survey of how much Ireland has changed in the period, as well as outlining the issues that are still concerning Ireland in the 21st century.

Lecturer

Brian Girvin is a Professor of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow. He has published widely on twentieth-century Ireland, including most recently a chapter on 'Sean Lemass and the Making of Contemporary Ireland' in the Oxford Handbook of Modern Irish History (2014).