Eoin O’Duffy

Eoin O’Duffy (born January 28, 1890, Castleblayney, County Monaghan, Ireland—died November 30, 1944, Dublin) was an Irish nationalist military leader and popular conservative head of Fine Gael (“Irish Race”), who played a significant role in the development of the Irish armed forces and police. His support of fascism during the 1930s, however, cost him much of his popular support.

O’Duffy joined the Irish rebels against England in 1917. He became commander of the Irish army (1924–25) after the formation of the Irish Free State (1921) and served as chief commissioner of the Civic Guard (police) from 1922 to 1933. After his removal in 1933 he joined the opposition to Eamon de Valera’s Fianna Fáil government and helped found the Fine Gael party, serving as its president from 1933 until his forced resignation the next year. Head of the fascist Blueshirts from 1933, he lost most of his remaining prestige in an abortive effort to aid Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) and died disgraced.