Clann na Talmhan

Were this to happen, the western opinion was that indirect taxation would inevitably increase, and small farmers and workers would find themselves appreciably worse-off.

In 1942 at a rally in Dunmore, County Galway Michael Donnellan declared "You could take all the TDs, all the senators, all the ministers and members of the judiciary and all the other nice fellows and dump them off Clare Island into the broad Atlantic.

[2] In contrast to the earlier Farmers' Party, Clann na Talmhan emphasised grass-roots campaigning and political agitation.

In light of this Donnellan resigned as leader following the election and was replaced by Joseph Blowick, a large farmer holder from County Mayo.

Like its spiritual predecessors, Clann na Talmhan could not unite small and large farmers in one party, and this restricted its electoral appeal.

A lack of improvement in the economy during this period led to disillusionment with Clann na Talmhan, and people again began to vote for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael rather than small parties.