“Ye can have Boland, but ye can’t have Fianna Fáil.”

1971 Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis

A crisis for the state and within Fianna Fáil over a secret plot to import arms to Northern Ireland deeply divided the party. It dominated the 1971 Ard Fheis, with heated and sometimes physical arguments breaking out between supporters of leader Jack Lynch and supporters of Niall Blaney and Kevin Boland. As the future president Dr Patrick Hillery starte…