Lemass led Fianna Fáil to victory in the 1961 and 1965 general elections. He appointed young TDs like Charles Haughey, George Colley and Patrick Hillery as government ministers. They would dominate Irish politics for the next 30 years. He presided over the 1966 50th anniversary celebrations of the Easter Rising. Saying it was time for a new generation to take over, Lemass resigned at the end of 1966. He was succeeded by Jack Lynch, who, at 49, was the fi rst Taoiseach of the generation to have grown up in an independent Ireland. Lemass died in 1971.
CHECKPOINT!
1. What were the main points of the First Programme for Economic Expansion? 2. Was it a success? Give reasons for your answer. 3. How did Lemass change relations with Northern Ireland? 4. In what way did Ireland become active in the United Nations? 5. Why did Ireland apply to join the EEC in 1961 and was this application successful? 6. Who succeeded Lemass as Taoiseach?
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I can explain the changes Seán Lemass introduced as Taoiseach.
TIME TO GO BACK I CAN MOVE FORWARD
COLLABORATE: In your group, research the 1966 commemoration of the Easter Rising and answer these questions:
1. What events were organised to commemorate the 1916 Rising in 1966? 2. What message do you think the government was trying to send out about Ireland in 1966? 3. What impact did the 1966 commemoration have on Ireland, north and south? 4. How was 1916 commemorated in 2016? 5. What were the main differences between the 1966 and 2016 events?
Cars undergo a final inspection at the Ford factory in Cork during the mid-1960s
