BLUESHIRTS -- Like the rest of Europe, Ireland was susceptible to extremist politics. Blueshirts were considered an extremist group modeled after Mussolini's Blackshirts and Hitler's Brownshirts but were "weak stuff" compared to the real fascist article and never openly adopted the policies advocated by Hitler and Mussolini such as condemnation of democracy, imperalism and racism. I believe this was post-1921 and there was "street brawling" between republicans and members of the opposition . There were clashes between the Blueshirts and the IRA. They did a lot of marching in parades. There was legislation against the wearing of the shirts in March 1934. I found a photo of "Blueshirts on parade," in a book with a lady leader, Mrs. "General" O'NEILL, Kinsale, Co. Cork, with the familiar salute seen with the Nazi's. They were anti-communism. One of the leaders was Eion O'DUFFY who worked with assorted anti-Finanna Fail parties but was expelled from constitutional politics in 1923. In 1936-37 he led 700 Blueshirts to Spain to fight for Franco.