Following the Civil War and in the absence of a meaningful opposition, Cumann na nGaedheal dominated Irish politics. In this time they also allowed the party to stagnate and had become overconfident that their record in government would secure reelection in 1932; instead de Valera’s Fianna Fáil took office and they increased their grip on power in 1933. Driven by fear and a desire to return to government, Cumann na nGaedheal merged with the smaller National Centre Party in 1933 to form Fine Gael. But for leadership of this new party they turned to the National Guard, a shirted movement led by the popular and charismatic Eoin O’Duffy.
