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The "Gang of 22" was a group of Fianna Fáil TDs (members of parliament) who were opposed to the leadership of Charles Haughey in the early 1980s. The very evident division within the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party left a deep split in the organisation.
The origins of 'The Gang of 22' was when Desmond O'Malley challenged Charles Haughey for the leadership of Fianna Fáil in 1983. A vote of no-confidence against Charles Haughey's leadership was called by Charlie McCreevy, and failed by 55 votes to 22. The Gang of 22 included George Colley, Martin O'Donoghue, David Andrews, Séamus Brennan, Joe Walsh, Jim Gibbons, Ben Briscoe, Bobby Molloy, Mary Harney and Willie O'Dea as members.
The name is a pun on the Gang of Four, a group of Communist leaders in the People's Republic of China who were imprisoned after the death of Mao Zedong.
References
- "Career built on highly popular Limerick base". The Irish Times. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2010.