Éamon de Valera from the controversy. That stance helped return de Valera to power in the 1951 general election, but without an overall majority. His and Fianna Fáil's popularity was short-lived, however; his government introduced severe, deflationary budgetary and economic policies in 1952, causing a political backlash that cost Fianna Fáil several seats in the Dáil in by-elections of 1953 and early 1954. Faced with a likely loss of confidence in the Dáil, de Valera instead called an election in May 1954, in which Fianna Fáil was defeated and a Second Inter-Party Government was formed with John A. Costello again as Taoiseach. On
Sinéad de Valera Sinéad de Valera Sinéad de Valera (née Ní Fhlannagáin; 3 June 1878 – 7 January 1975) was the wife of Taoiseach and the 3rd President of Ireland, Éamon de Valera. She was also the author of a number of children's books in English and Irish. She was born Jane O'Flanagan in Balbriggan. Her father, Laurence, was a carpenter and was a native of Kildare who moved to Balbriggan and married a local girl, Margaret Byrne. The couple emigrated to New York City where their daughter, Mary, was born in 1871. The family had returned to Balbriggan in 1873, and Sinéad