The History of European Movement Ireland
European Movement Ireland is the oldest Irish organisation dealing with the EU, pre-dating Ireland’s membership of the EU in 1973 by almost twenty years.
On 11 January 1954, one hundred people met up in the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin and founded the Irish Council of the European Union.
Signing the Articles of Association that founded the European Movement were seven pioneers of Ireland’s future in Europe. They were: Donal O’Sullivan, University Lecturer; Garret Fitzgerald, Economist; Louis P F Smith, Economist; Denis Corboy, Barrister-at-Law; George J Colley, Solicitor; Declan Costello, Barrister-at-Law; and Sean J Healy, Secretary. These seven signatories laid the first stone paving Ireland’s way to full EU membership.
Their aim was to inform Irish individuals and organisations about the EU. One of their primary objectives was for Ireland to gain membership of the European Economic Communities (EEC) as the EU was then known. Dedicated individuals such as former Taoisigh Garret Fitzgerald and Jack Lynch, and former President Mary Robinson backed the initiative and Ireland entered the European Communities in 1972.
Since then European Movement Ireland has continued its work on informing people about the work of the European Union, and answering their questions on the EU. Today it campaigns for every Irish person to get involved in the European Union and by doing so, help shape it, ensuring Europe gets discussed in Ireland every day not just on referendum day.