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Blueshirt

Irish history
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Also known as: ACA, Army Comrades Association, National Guard
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fascism
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Eoin O’Duffy
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Blueshirt, popular name for a member of the Army Comrades Association (ACA), who wore blue shirts in imitation of the European fascist movements that had adopted coloured shirts as their uniforms. Initially composed of former soldiers in the Irish Free State Army, the ACA was founded in response to the victory of Fianna Fáil (“Soldiers of Destiny”) in the 1932 election and was led by Gen. Eoin O’Duffy, former commissioner of the Irish Civic Guard (An Garda Síochána). The ACA was renamed the National Guard in 1933 and later that year merged with Cumann na nGaedheal (“Party of the Irish”) and the Centre Party to form Fine Gael (“Irish Race”), thereafter the principal opposition party. O’Duffy served briefly as its leader. In 1936 O’Duffy took some 600 Blueshirts to Spain, where they fought as the “Irish brigade” with the Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Lorraine Murray.