A Irish: cumann (Irish for association; plural Irish: cumainn) is the lowest local unit or branch of a number of Irish political parties.[1] The term cumann may also be used to describe a non-political association. Cumainn are usually made up of 5+ (the recommendation being 12) members of a local area and makes sure the policies of their political party are being correctly implemented.[2]
Traditionally, Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil have called their local branches by that term.[3] [4] [5] Fine Gael also uses the term to describe its local branches in the Clare constituency.
The structure of Fianna Fáil is as follows; the elementary units of the party are the Irish: cumann, the Irish: Comhairle Ceantair (Area Council), and the Irish: Comhairle Dáil Cheantair (Constituency Council). The Irish: Comhairle Ceantair is a form of district unit covering a number of Irish: cumainn over a geographic area (usually a County Council local electoral area), while the Irish: Comhairle Dáil Cheantair is a collection of all the Irish: cumainn or all the Irish: Comhairlí Ceantair in a Dáil (parliamentary) constituency or county.
In Sinn Féin, the party structure is similar to that of Fianna Fáil. The principal units of the party are the Irish: cumann and the Irish: Comhairle Ceantair (Area Council), which consists of elected members from the area's Irish: cumainn. The Irish: Comhairle Ceantair is a form of district unit covering a number of cumainn over a geographic area (usually a County Council constituency). The Irish: Ard Comhairle functions as the Sinn Féin national committee and executive; it is composed of elected board members on an all-Ireland basis.