De Valera and the Politics of Negotiation.

Éamon De Valera had a reputation as a skilled negotiator, and was said to possess the shrewdest political mind in Ireland.  Was he Ireland’s most able negotiator?  What did his record in the U.S. demonstrate?  He was not a conciliator. His political policy was distinguished by an unwavering belief that his view, and only his view, was correct.  

In 1919, de Valera said ‘we are reaching for the stars in the hope of obtaining the mountain tops’. Several times he said it, and several times he applied that sentiment to his negotiating endeavours.  Every good negotiator knows, however, that ‘one’s reach should not exceed one’s grasp’. A negotiating stance must take into consideration the possible, not just the unachievable aspiration. 

De Valera’s ambition and drive, along with his disregard for the opinions of others and the willingness to ‘elbow others out of his way’ were the hallmarks of his political career. 

Joseph E.A. Connell Jnr is the author of 
Dublin Rising 1916  
Who’s who in the Dublin Rising 1916
Michael Collins Dublin 1916–22
The Shadow War