on the origins of ireland's political parties

Politicians from some of Ireland's corrupt kleptocratic supposedly mainstream political parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have this week been attempting to label politicians from one of Ireland's oldest political parties Sinn Fein as former gunmen.
Here is the news.
Fine Gael claims its political lineage from Michael Collins.
Michael Collins was a gunman.
Fianna Fail claims its political lineage from Eamon De Valera.
Eamon De Valera was a gunman.
In fact the only difference between Fianna Fail's and Fine Gael's founding fathers Michael Collins and Eamon De Valera, and Sinn Fein's current leaders Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams is that when Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams promised to lay down their guns, they kept their word.