Frank Aiken

Frank Aiken (February 13, 1898 - May 18, 1983) was a senior Irish politician. He was a founding-member of Fianna Fáil and was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1923 and at each subsequent election until 1973. Aiken served as Minister for Defence (1932-1939), Minister for Co-Ordination of Defensive Measures (1943-1945), Minister for Finance (1945-1948) and Minister for External Affairs (1951-1954 & 1957-1969). He also served as Minister for Finance and Minister for Lands & Fisheries. Aiken served as Tánaiste of Ireland from 1965 until 1969.

Irish Republican Army involvement

Frank Aiken was born on February 13, 1898 at Camlough in County Armagh. He was educated at Newry Christian Brothers School and in 1914 he joined the Irish Volunteers. Within a few years he became Chairman of the Armagh Comhairle Ceanntair of Sinn Féin and elected onto Armagh County Council. During the War of Independence he commanded the Fourth Northern Division of the IRA. He was accused by some Unionists and Unionist supporters of engineering an ethnic cleansing of Protestants from parts of South Armagh, Newry, and other fiercely anti-British areas, in particular the killing of seven Protestants (mostly civilians) in one day in Altnaveigh. The split over the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 left Aiken ultimately aligned with the Anti-Treaty side in spite of personal efforts to prevent division and civil war. He succeeded Liam Lynch as IRA Chief of Staff in March 1923 and issued the cease fire and dump arms orders on May 24, 1923 that effectively ended the Irish Civil War. He remained Chief of Staff of the IRA until 12 November 1925.

Related Topics:
February 13 - 1898 - County Armagh - Newry - Christian Brothers - 1914 - Irish Volunteers - Sinn Féin - War of Independence - IRA - Altnaveigh - Anglo-Irish Treaty - 1921 - Liam Lynch - IRA Chief of Staff - 1923 - May 24 - Irish Civil War - 12 November - 1925

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