Patrick Smith (politician) career, Smith being said to have shouted across the floor at Dáil Éireann, "They gave us stepping-stones, but they [state forces in 1922] would not walk on them." A play on the same quote by Irish revolutionary, Michael Collins. He entered the Dáil in September 1923, as a Republican candidate. In 1926, Éamon de Valera, the Leader of Anti-Treaty Sinn Fein, approached Smith and persuaded him to join his newly founded political party, Fianna Fáil. Fianna Fail abandoned the abstentionist policy of Anti Treaty Sinn Fein and its elected members took their seats in Dáil Éireann. De Valera and Smith
South West Party South West Party The South West Party (in Afrikaans: "Suidwes Party", in German: "Südwestpartei") was a political party in South West Africa, today Namibia. Initially the party was known as Union Party ("Unie Party" in Afrikaans). The party was founded in Windhoek in September 1924 by F. van der Heever, A.P. Olivier, and Andries de Wet. It took the name SWP in 1926. In 1926, the SWP created a pact with the National Party of South West Africa, against the German League in South West Africa (, DBSW). The party contested four seats in the 1926 legislative elections, winning in