Apart from 1982, 1927 is the only year since independence to feature two general elections. It was a year which was crucial to the development of Free State politics as a number of new parties emerged. In 1926, Éamon de Valera left Sinn Féin and along with many of his followers founded a new anti-Treaty party, Fianna Fáil. De Valera's new party was abstentionist, but crucially would enter the Dáil if the oath of allegiance was removed. In 1927, it would campaign on the basis of using the constitution to petition for a referendum to abolish the oath. Dissatisfied government supporters also broke away to form a new party, Clann Éireann, led by TDs William Magennis and Pádraic Ó Máille. Of most concern to this study, Captain Redmond and Thomas O’Donnell led a revival of the Irish Party in the form of the Irish National League party. While these new parties would dominate much attention in 1926 and the first half of 1927, the summer of 1927 would prove even more dramatic as Justice Minister Kevin O’Higgins was assassinated, the Cosgrave administration sought to force an end to both political violence and abstentionist strategies, and a second election took place which would have a formative effect on party politics in the young state.

Bolstered by the success of the Redmondite anniversaries and encouraged by political flux in the Free State, Redmond and O’Donnell launched the Irish National League party in Waterford on 13 September 1926. Although it enjoyed initial success, the League soon found itself at the mercy of political developments outside its immediate control. Yet, the National League held a significant if brief position in politics in 1927 as it stood on the edge of forming a unique coalition government with Labour and the support of Fianna Fáil just nine years after the defeat of the IPP. For this reason alone, the party is worthy of study; its role in the development and assimilation of old Irish Party political activism in the Free State was important too.