Ógra Fianna Fáil
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Ógra Fianna Fáil(; meaning "Youth of Fianna Fáil") is the
youth wing A youth wing is a subsidiary, autonomous, or independently allied front of a larger organization (usually a political party but occasionally another type of organization) that is formed in order to rally support for that organization from members ...
of
Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...
. The organisation was founded in 1975 by party leader
Jack Lynch John Mary Lynch (15 August 1917 – 20 October 1999) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979. He was Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1966 to 1979, Leader of the Opposition from 1973 to 1977, ...
under the guidance of party general secretary,
Séamus Brennan Séamus Brennan ( ; 16 February 1948 – 9 July 2008) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism from 2007 to 2008, Minister for Social and Family Affairs from 2004 to 2007, Minister for Transport ...
. It is active on an all-Ireland basis, with branches in major third level institutes (called cumainn) and
parliamentary constituencies An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provid ...
(called Comhairle Dáil Cheantair) in the
Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...
. In
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
it is organised on a Council District basis, along with third level branches at the
University of Ulster Ulster University (; Ulster Scots: or ), legally the University of Ulster, is a multi-campus public research university located in Northern Ireland. It is often referred to informally and unofficially as Ulster, or by the abbreviation UU. It i ...
and
Queen's University Belfast The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...
. In October 2014 Ógra became an official full member organisation of
European Liberal Youth European Liberal Youth (abbreviated as LYMEC) is an international organisation of liberal youth movements – mostly the youth wings of members of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party but also individual members. LYMEC holds ...
at their annual congress in Berlin.


President

From the inception of the organisation until 2011 Ógra was chaired by the youngest member of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party. Since 2011 Ógra have elected a president of the organisation. The first president of Ógra was Eamon Quinlan, who later became mayor of Waterford City in 2015. In 2013 Blackrock's Kate Feeney was elected as the first female leader of Ógra. She is a daughter of former senator Geraldine Feeney and was elected to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council while president of Ógra in 2014. Eoin Neylon won the election for president of Ógra two years in a row, in both 2014 and 2015. James Doyle of Dublin Fingal was elected to the office in November 2016, serving one term. Dún Laoghaire's Ian Woods was elected to the role in March 2018. Lawrencetown native Tom Cahill was elected as President (Uachtarán) in November 2019. He was replaced by Bryan Mallon in March 2021. On 20 December 2021 a motion to remove Mallon as president received 62% of support from members, but failed to reach the required 66.7% for it to pass, and so he was not removed from office.


Organisation

Ógra Fianna Fáil is organised across all the 32 counties of Ireland, maintaining a presence in most local communities and Third Level institutes. Within Ógra Fianna Fáil there four different types of units that can be formed: ''Ógra Comhairle Dáil Ceantair'' (CDC) in the Republic of Ireland, Council District Constituency (CDC) in Northern Ireland, ''Ógra Comhairle Ceantair'' (CC), Ógra Third Level Cumann, and ''Ógra Coiste Áitiúil''. The three governing bodies of Ógra Fianna Fáil are the National Youth Conference, Ógra Central Officer Board and Ógra National Council. *Ógra Comhairle Dáil Ceantair (Ógra CDC) – The Ógra CDC covers the area of the Dáil constituency as set out by the Constituencies Commission, or in some cases where a constituency crosses a County border; it covers the area of that County. *Ógra Council District Constituency (CDC) - The Ógra CDC covers the area of the
Local government in Northern Ireland Local government in Northern Ireland is divided among 11 single-tier districts known as 'Local Government Districts' (abbreviated LGDs) and formerly known as district council areas (DCAs). Councils in Northern Ireland do not carry out the same ...
. They have the same status as Comhairle Dáil Ceantair within the organisation. *Ógra Comhairle Ceantair (Ógra CC) – This type of unit is smaller than an Ógra CDC, it only includes the Ógra members who are in a particular part of the constituency, most likely a
local electoral area A local electoral area (LEA; ) is an electoral area for elections to Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authorities in Ireland. All elections in the Republic of Ireland, elections use the single transferable vote. Republic of Ir ...
(LEA). Ógra CC members may also be members of a Third Level Cumann and an Ógra CDC. *Ógra Third Level Cumann – Most higher education institutions have an Ógra Fianna Fáil
Cumann A ( Irish for association; plural ) is the lowest local unit or branch of a number of Irish political parties. The term ''cumann'' may also be used to describe a non-political association. Cumainn are usually made up of 5+ (the recommendation ...
. These branches generally have similar status to an Ógra CDC. *Ógra Coiste Áitiúil – Ógra members in a particular local area are encouraged to form local units to allow the local members to come together to discuss issues and to organise events to promote Fianna Fáil. This form of Ógra unit was instigated to support the organisation in places where may not be practical or possible for Ógra members to travel long distances to Ógra CC or CDC meetings, or not possible to establish an Ógra CC. *Ógra National Youth Conference (NYC) – The National Youth Conference is the supreme decision-making body of Ógra. The conference takes place every 12–18 months with the venue being decided by interested units presenting their bids to the delegates at National Council. The location for the NYC is rotated between each of the regions: Connacht, Leinster, Dublin, Ulster and Munster. The Conference gives the young members of Fianna Fáil a forum to express their views and opinions and develop national policies. All votes for policy motions and COB positions are carried out via One Member One Vote (OMOV). *Ógra Central Officer Board (COB) – The Central Officer Board is responsible for the management of Ógra. It consists of a President, Policy Director, Campaigns and Events Director, Membership and Recruitment Director, International Officer, Irish and Cultural Officer, Equality & Educational Officer, five Regional Organisers, Press Officer(s) and the National Youth Officer. *Ógra National Council (NC) – The National Council provides oversight to the work of the Central Officer Board. Meetings are usually held every 8–12 weeks. All members of the organisation are entitled to attend meetings. Unlike the NYC, National Council functions under a delegate system where every registered Ógra CDC and Third Level Cumann is entitled to send 3 delegates (at least 1 man and 1 woman) to National Council to vote on behalf of their CDC or cumann. These delegates can hold the COB to account, debate policy and submit and vote on motions.


Third level branches


Kevin Barry Cumann – University College Dublin

The Kevin Barry Cumann is the branch in
University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...
(UCD). The cumann predates the founding of Ógra Fianna Fáil which was established in 1956. It formally dates to 1957 when led by Gerry Collins, then a student organiser in UCD and later
Minister for Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral re ...
. It is named after UCD student and Irish revolutionary
Kevin Barry Kevin Gerard Barry (20 January 1902 – 1 November 1920) was an Irish Republican Army (IRA) soldier and medical student who was executed by the British Government during the Irish War of Independence. He was sentenced to death for his part in a ...
. Former members include former European Commissioner
Charlie McCreevy Charles McCreevy (born 30 September 1949) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services from 2004 to 2010, Minister for Finance from 1997 to 2004, Minister for Tourism and Trad ...
, previous ministers
Dick Roche Richard Roche (born 30 March 1947) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister of State for European Affairs from 2002 to 2004 and 2007 to 2011 and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government from 2004 to ...
and Mary Coughlan, Donegal TD
Charlie McConalogue Charles McConalogue (born 29 October 1977) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has served as Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport since January 2025. He previously served as Minister for Agriculture, Foo ...
and
RTÉ (; ; RTÉThe É in RTÉ is pronounced as an English E () and not an Irish É ()) is an Irish public service broadcaster. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, ...
presenter
Ryan Tubridy Ryan Tubridy (born 28 May 1973) is an Irish broadcaster. He currently presents the weekday mid-morning programme ''The Ryan Tubridy Show'' on Virgin Radio UK, as well as a weekend programme on Sundays. His broadcasting career with RTÉ spanned ...
. The author and former political lobbyist Frank Dunlop was also a member.
Malcolm Byrne Malcolm Byrne (born 25 April 1974) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wicklow–Wexford constituency since the 2024 general election. He previously served as a Senator for the Cultural and Educat ...
is a former secretary of the Kevin Barry Cumann. At the 2023 National Youth Conference, the Cumann won the Gobnait O'Connell award for the first time.


Pádraig Pearse Cumann – Dublin City University

The
Dublin City University Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU) () is a Third-level education in the Republic of Ireland, university based on the Northside, Dublin, Northside of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Created as the ''National Institute for Highe ...
branch is the
Pádraig Pearse Patrick Henry Pearse (also known as Pádraig or Pádraic Pearse; ; 10 November 1879 – 3 May 1916) was an Irish teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist, republican political activist and revolutionary who was one of the leaders of the Ea ...
Cumann, commonly known as The PPC. At the Fianna Fáil National Youth Conference in Roscommon in 2018, it was awarded best delegation.


Donogh O'Malley Cumann – University College Cork

The
Donogh O'Malley Donogh Brendan O'Malley (18 January 1921 – 10 March 1968) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and rugby union player who served as Minister for Education from 1966 to 1968, Minister for Health from 1965 to 1966 and Parliamentary Secretary ...
Cumann is the
University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) () is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork (city), Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen's Universit ...
branch of Ógra. Founded in 1967, its first AGM was chaired by Jack Lynch. Former members of the cumann include the current leader of the party Tánaiste
Micheál Martin Micheál Martin (; born 16 August 1960) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician serving as Taoiseach since January 2025, having previously held the position from 2020 to 2022. Martin served as Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Min ...
, European Commissioner
Michael McGrath (Irish politician) Michael McGrath (; born 23 August 1976) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and European commissioner, EU Commissioner for European Commissioner for Justice, Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection. He served as Minister for ...
, Minister for Education Norma Foley and Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee. As of 2021, they held the joint record for the most Gobnait O'Connell Awards (awards given to the best Ógra branch) won with 4 in the years 2001, 2015, 2019 and 2021. They also hold the joint record for most Gobnait O’Connell Awards won consecutively which is 2 in a row.


Wolfe Tone Cumann – Trinity College Dublin

The
Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Unive ...
(TCD) branch is named in honor of Irish revolutionary and Trinity graduate,
Theobald Wolfe Tone Theobald Wolfe Tone, posthumously known as Wolfe Tone (; 20 June 176319 November 1798), was a revolutionary exponent of Irish independence and is an iconic figure in Irish republicanism. Convinced that, so long as his fellow Protestants fear ...
. The Cumann was officially constituted in 1967 and was initially named after Erskine Childers. In 1998 the cumann was renamed the Wolfe Tone Cumann, to mark the bicentenary of the
1798 Rebellion The Irish Rebellion of 1798 (; Ulster-Scots: ''The Turn out'', ''The Hurries'', 1798 Rebellion) was a popular insurrection against the British Crown in what was then the separate, but subordinate, Kingdom of Ireland. The main organising force ...
. It has a long history of activism within Ógra on a national basis. Past members include; Thomas Byrne,
Seán Haughey Seán Haughey (born 8 November 1961) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Bay North constituency from 2016 to 2024, and previously from 1992 to 2011 for the Dublin North-Central constitue ...
, Jack Chambers,
James Lawless James Lawless (born 19 August 1976) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has served as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science since January 2025. He served as a Minister of State from 2024 to 2025. He has ...
,
Mary Harney Mary Harney (born 11 March 1953) is an Irish former politician and the former Chancellor of the University of Limerick. She was leader of the Progressive Democrats party between 1993 and 2006 and again from 2007 to 2008, resuming the role afte ...
,
Mary Lou McDonald Mary Louise McDonald (born 1 May 1969) is an Irish politician who has served as Leader of the Opposition in Ireland since June 2020, as President of Sinn Féin since February 2018, and as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Central constituen ...
and
Dara Calleary Dara Calleary (born 10 May 1973) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has served as Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht since January 2025. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for t ...
. At the 2025 Athlone National Youth Conference, the Cumann won the Gobnait O'Connell award for the second time, having previously won in 2014.


Cumann De Barra – University of Galway

Cumann De Barra is the branch in the
University of Galway The University of Galway () is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. The university was founded in 1845 as "Queen's College, Galway". It was known as "University College, Galway" (UCG) () from 1908 to 1997 and as ...
(UG). Meetings were held off campus for many years before it was officially recognised by university authorities and allowed to host itself as an official society of the university in 1954. Like its sister Cumann in University College Dublin (UCD), it is also named after Kevin Barry, a medical student at UCD who fought and was executed during the
Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence (), also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and Unite ...
. To avoid confusion however, it officially changed its name to the Irish language version to reflect UG's reputation as the Irish language university. Notable former members include former Fianna Fáil TD Michael P. Kitt, the
President of Ireland The president of Ireland () is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The presidency is a predominantly figurehead, ceremonial institution, serving as ...
Michael D. Higgins Michael Daniel Higgins (; born 18 April 1941) is an Irish politician, poet, broadcaster, and sociologist who has been serving as the president of Ireland since 2011. Entering national politics through the Labour Party, he served as a senator ...
(before he joined the Labour Party), Senator Terry Leyden, Senator Lisa Chambers and former MEP Seán Ó Neachtain.


Other third level branches

There are other branches of Ógra Fianna Fáil in third level institutions throughout the country, including: *
Atlantic Technological University Atlantic Technological University (also known as Atlantic TU or ATU; ) is a Technological Universities in Ireland, technological university in the west and north-west of Ireland. It was formally established on 1 April 2022 as a merger of three ...
Sligo Cumann *Atlantic Technological University Galway-Mayo – Sean Mulvoy Cumann *
Dundalk Institute of Technology Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT; ) is an institute of technology, located in Dundalk, Ireland. Established as the Dundalk Regional Technical College, students were first enrolled in the college in 1971 and it was later re-defined as an i ...
Cumann *
Maynooth University Maynooth University (MU) (), is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. Maynooth University was formerly known as National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM; ). It was Ireland ...
Seán Lemass Seán Francis Lemass (born John Francis Lemass; 15 July 1899 – 11 May 1971) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1959 to 1966. He also served as Tánaiste from 1957 to 1959, 1951 to 1954 ...
Cumann * Munster Technological University Cork –
Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa (; 4 September 1831 (baptised) – 29 June 1915)Con O'Callaghan Reenascreena Community Online (dead link archived at archive.org, 29 September 2014) was an Irish Fenian leader who was one of the leading members of t ...
Cumann *
South East Technological University South East Technological University (SETU; ) is a public Technological Universities in Ireland, technological university located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South East region of Ireland. It was formed from the amalgamation of two existin ...
Carlow –
James Fintan Lalor James Fintan Lalor (in Irish, Séamas Fionntán Ó Leathlobhair) (10 March 1809 – 27 December 1849) was an Irish revolutionary, journalist, and “one of the most powerful writers of his day.” A leading member of the Irish Confederation (Yo ...
Cumann *South East Technological University Waterford –
Thomas Francis Meagher Thomas Francis Meagher ( ; 3 August 18231 July 1867) was an Irish nationalism, Irish nationalist and leader of the Young Irelanders in the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848, Rebellion of 1848. After being convicted of sedition, he was first sent ...
Cumann * St Patrick's, Carlow College Cumann *
Technological University Dublin Technological University Dublin () or TU Dublin is Ireland's first technological university. It was established on 1 January 2019, with a history going back to 1887 through the amalgamated Dublin Institute of Technology which progressed from t ...
Kathleen Clarke Kathleen Clarke (; ; 12 April 1878 – 29 September 1972) was a founder member of Cumann na mBan, a women's paramilitary organisation formed in Ireland in 1914, and one of very few privy to the plans of the Easter Rising in 1916. She was the w ...
Cumann *
University of Limerick University of Limerick (UL) () is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972, as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it became a university in Septemb ...
Con Colbert Cornelius Bernard Colbert (; 19 October 1888 – 8 May 1916)D.J. Hickey & J. E. Doherty, ''A New Dictionary of Irish History from 1800'', Gill & MacMillan (Dublin), , Pg.75 was an Irish rebel and pioneer of Fianna Éireann. For his part in the ...
Cumann *
Ulster University Ulster University (; Ulster Scots: or ), legally the University of Ulster, is a multi-campus public research university located in Northern Ireland. It is often referred to informally and unofficially as Ulster, or by the abbreviation UU. It i ...
Watty Graham Walter (Watty) Graham (also called Watty Grimes) (1763–1798) was a farmer and Presbyterian Church elder in the north of Ireland who was executed for his role as a United Irishman in the Rebellion of 1798. Graham was born outside Maghera, ...
Cumann *
Queen's University Belfast The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...
William Drennan William Drennan (23 May 1754 – 5 February 1820) was an Irish physician and writer who moved the formation in Belfast and Dublin of the Society of United Irishmen. He was the author of the Society's original "test" which, in the cause of ...
Cumann


Notes


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ogra Fianna Fail Fianna Fáil Youth wings of political parties in Ireland Youth wings of conservative parties Youth wings of political parties in Northern Ireland Youth organizations established in 1975 1975 establishments in Ireland All-Ireland organisations Irish republican organisations Student organisations in Northern Ireland Student organisations in the Republic of Ireland