Two parties that never got off the ground? (4)
I believe the answer is:
dodo
'that never got off the ground?' is the definition.
(extinct flightless bird)
'two parties' is the wordplay.
'two parties' can mean two replacements for 'party'.
'party' becomes 'do' (do is a kind of party).
'party' becomes 'do' (do is a kind of party**).
'do'+'do'='DODO'
(Other definitions for dodo that I've seen before include "Flightless bird, extinct since the 17th century" , "Old fogey" , "Extinct bird of Mauritius, very dead" , "Repetitive extinct animal" , "Proverbially extinct bird" .)