History of Sinn Féin 218. De Valera resigned and formed a new party, Fianna Fáil, on a platform of republicanising the Free State from within. He took the great majority of Sinn Féin support with him along with most of Sinn Féin's financial support from America. The remains of Sinn Féin fielded only 15 candidates and won only six seats in the June election, sinking to a level support not seen since before 1916. In the August 1927 by-election following the death of Constance Markievicz, SF's Cathal Ó Murchadha gained just 2.5% of the vote. Shortly after Vice-President and de facto leader MacSwiney announced
James Devins (Sinn Féin politician) that he was a casualty of the Irish Civil War.He was executed without trial with five other comrades who had all surrendered to the Free State troops under MacEoin. His grandson Jimmy Devins also served as a Fianna Fáil TD for Sligo–North Leitrim from 2002 to 2011. James Devins (Sinn Féin politician) James (Séamus) Devins (1873 – 20 September 1922) was an Irish Sinn Féin politician. He was elected unopposed as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála (TD) to the 2nd Dáil at the 1921 elections for the Sligo–Mayo East constituency. He opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and voted against it. He