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Ireland

Ireland, 1937 to today. Draft, not yet reviewed

In 1937, a new constitution was adopted, in which the state was named "Ireland" and effectively became a republic, with an elected non-executive president. It was officially declared a republic in 1949, following The Republic of Ireland Act 1948. It joined the European Communities, the predecessor of the European Union, in 1973. The state had no formal relations with Northern Ireland for most of the 20th century, but the 1980s and 1990s saw the British and Irish governments working with Northern Irish parties to resolve the conflict that had become known as the Troubles.

Seat of power: Dublin

Rulers

Éamon de Valera

Taoiseach, 1937–1948

When the new constitution was enacted on 29 December 1937, de Valera's post automatically became that of Taoiseach, which was a considerably more powerful office. By September 1939 a general European war was imminent, and de Valera advised Dáil Éireann that neutrality was the best policy for the country. The government secured wide powers for the duration of the Emergency, such as internment, censorship of the press and correspondence, and government control of the economy.

Portrait of Éamon de Valera: National Photo Company Collection, Public domain, file

Douglas Hyde

president of Ireland, 1938–1945

Douglas Ross Hyde served as the first president of Ireland from June 1938 to June 1945. Hyde was chosen, after inter-party negotiations, to be the first President of Ireland, to which office he was elected unopposed. Hyde was inaugurated as the first President of Ireland, on 26 June 1938.

Portrait of Douglas Hyde: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file

Seán T. O'Kelly

president of Ireland, 1945–1959

O'Kelly served as the president of Ireland from June 1945 to June 1959. O'Kelly did not refer any Bills to the Supreme Court, under Article 26 of the Constitution of Ireland while he was in office.

Portrait of Seán T. O'Kelly: Unknown photographer, Public domain, file

Éamon de Valera

president of Ireland, 1959–1973

Éamon de Valera served as the president of Ireland from 1959 to 1973. He resigned in 1959 upon his election as President of Ireland.

Portrait of Éamon de Valera: National Photo Company Collection, Public domain, file

Erskine Hamilton Childers

president of Ireland, 1973–1974

Erskine Hamilton Childers served as the president of Ireland from June 1973 to November 1974, and is the only Irish president to have died in office. When Childers was inaugurated as President of Ireland, he took the oath of office in the Irish language, but this was with some reluctance, as he spoke relatively little of it. Childers, though 67, quickly gained a reputation as a vibrant, extremely hard-working President, and became highly popular and respected.

Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh

president of Ireland, 1974–1976

Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh served as the president of Ireland from December 1974 to October 1976. In late September 1976, Ó Dálaigh decided to exercise his constitutional prerogative to refer the Emergency Powers Bill to the Supreme Court to test its constitutionality. Following a breakdown in relations with the government intensified by remarks made by a senior minister, he was the first president of Ireland to resign from office.

Portrait of Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh: European Communities, CC BY 4.0, file

Patrick Hillery

president of Ireland, 1976–1990

Hillery served as the president of Ireland from December 1976 to December 1990. He served two terms in the presidency. Though seen as a somewhat lacklustre president, he was credited with bringing stability and dignity to the office, and won widespread admiration when it emerged that he had withstood political pressure from his own Fianna Fáil party during a political crisis in 1982.

Portrait of Patrick Hillery: Rob Croes, CC0, file

Mary Robinson

president of Ireland, 1990–1997

Mary Robinson served as the president of Ireland from December 1990 to September 1997. She was the country's first female president. She became the first independent candidate to win the presidency and the first not to have had the support of Fianna Fáil.

Portrait of Mary Robinson: Embaixada dos EUA - Brasil, Public domain, file

Mary McAleese

president of Ireland, 1997–2011

Mary McAleese served as the president of Ireland from November 1997 to November 2011. She succeeded Mary Robinson, making her the second female president of Ireland and the first woman in the world to succeed another woman as president. McAleese used her time in office to address issues concerning justice, social equality, social inclusion, anti-sectarianism and reconciliation.

Portrait of Mary McAleese: Griffith College, CC BY-SA 3.0, file

Michael D. Higgins

president of Ireland, 2011–2025

Higgins served as the president of Ireland from November 2011 to November 2025. Higgins used his presidency to address issues concerning justice, social equality, social inclusion, anti-sectarianism, anti-racism, and reconciliation. He made the first state visit by an Irish president to the United Kingdom in April 2014.

Portrait of Michael D. Higgins: Bundesministerium für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten, CC BY 2.0, file

Catherine Connolly

president of Ireland, 2025 to today

Catherine Connolly is an Irish politician serving as the president of Ireland since 11 November 2025. She had been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway West constituency from 2016 until her election as president in 2025.

Portrait of Catherine Connolly: Scottish Government, CC BY 4.0, file

Culture

Picture

Áras an Uachtaráin, formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of Ireland.

Image: Erin Costa, CC BY 2.0, file

Sources

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.