Éamon de Valera
Irish statesman (1882–1975) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Éamon de Valera[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2] (/ˈeɪmən ˌdɛvəˈlɛərə, -ˈlɪər-/, Irish: [ˈeːmˠən̪ˠ dʲɛ ˈwalʲəɾʲə]; first registered as George de Valero; changed some time before 1901 to Edward de Valera;[2] 14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was an Irish statesman and political leader. He served several terms as head of government and head of state and had a leading role in introducing the 1937 Constitution of Ireland.[3][4]
Éamon de Valera | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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3rd President of Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 25 June 1959 – 24 June 1973 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taoiseach | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Erskine H. Childers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd Taoiseach | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 20 March 1957 – 23 June 1959 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tánaiste | Seán Lemass | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | John A. Costello | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Seán Lemass | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 13 June 1951 – 2 June 1954 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tánaiste | Seán Lemass | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | John A. Costello | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | John A. Costello | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 29 December 1937 – 18 February 1948 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President |
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Tánaiste |
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Preceded by | Himself as president of the Executive Council | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | John A. Costello | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President of the Executive Council | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 9 March 1932 – 29 December 1937 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice President | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | W. T. Cosgrave | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Himself as Taoiseach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 2 June 1954 – 20 March 1957 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taoiseach | John A. Costello | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | John A. Costello | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | John A. Costello | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 18 February 1948 – 13 June 1951 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taoiseach | John A. Costello | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Richard Mulcahy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | John A. Costello | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 11 August 1927 – 9 March 1932 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President | W. T. Cosgrave | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Thomas Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | W. T. Cosgrave | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of Fianna Fáil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 23 March 1926 – 23 June 1959 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Seán Lemass | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President of the Irish Republic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 26 August 1921 – 9 January 1922 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Arthur Griffith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President of Dáil Éireann | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1 April 1919 – 26 August 1921 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Cathal Brugha | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Office abolished | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | George de Valero (1882-10-14)14 October 1882 New York City, New York, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 29 August 1975(1975-08-29) (aged 92) Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Resting place | Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Fianna Fáil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other political affiliations |
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Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 7, including Vivion, Máirín, Éamon and Rúaidhrí | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parents |
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Relatives |
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Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Royal University of Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Profession |
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De Valera was a commandant of Irish Volunteers at Boland's Mill during the 1916 Easter Rising. He was arrested and sentenced to death, but released for a variety of reasons, including his American citizenship and the public response to the British execution of Rising leaders. He returned to Ireland after being jailed in England and became one of the leading political figures of the War of Independence. After the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, de Valera served as the political leader of Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin until 1926, when he, along with many supporters, left the party to set up Fianna Fáil, a new political party which abandoned the policy of abstentionism from Dáil Éireann.
From there, de Valera went on to be at the forefront of Irish politics until the turn of the 1960s. He took over as president of the Executive Council from W. T. Cosgrave and later became Taoiseach, with the adoption of the Constitution of Ireland in 1937. He served as Taoiseach on three different occasions: from 1937 to 1948, from 1951 to 1954, and finally from 1957 to 1959. He remains the longest serving Taoiseach by total days served in the post. He resigned in 1959 upon his election as president of Ireland. By then, he had been Leader of Fianna Fáil for 33 years and he, along with older founding members, began to take a less prominent role relative to newer ministers such as Jack Lynch, Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney. De Valera served as President of Ireland from 1959 to 1973, two full terms in office.
De Valera's political beliefs evolved from militant Irish republicanism to strong social, cultural and fiscal conservatism.[5] He has been characterised as having a stern and unbending, and also devious demeanour. His roles in the Civil War have also been interpreted as making him a divisive figure in Irish history. Biographer Tim Pat Coogan sees his time in power as being characterised by economic and cultural stagnation, while Diarmaid Ferriter argues that the stereotype of de Valera as an austere, cold, and even backward figure was largely manufactured in the 1960s and is misguided.[5]