Records of Irish heads of government since 1922
The Taoiseach (plural: Taoisigh) is the head of government (or prime minister) of Ireland. Prior to the enactment of the Constitution of Ireland in 1937, the head of government was referred to as the President of the Executive Council. This office was first held by W. T. Cosgrave from 1922 to 1932, and then by Éamon de Valera from 1932 to 1937. By convention Taoisigh are numbered to include Cosgrave,[1][2][3][4] for example Leo Varadkar is considered the 14th Taoiseach not the 13th.
The first list is of all heads of Irish governments since 1922 by electoral history. The second list is by periods in office. The third list gives the total number of days served in office by each and the fourth is a list of individual terms served in order of length. The fifth list is by longevity and the sixth list is by age on entering and leaving office. The seventh is a list of officeholders still living and the eighth list shows a timeline of living/deceased officeholders.
Electoral history
No. | Name | Born | First elected | Party | Constituency | Left Dáil | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | W. T. Cosgrave | 6 June 1880 | 10 August 1917[nb 1] | Cumann na nGaedheal[nb 2] | Kilkenny City (1917–18), North Kilkenny (1918–21), Carlow–Kilkenny (1921–27), Cork Borough (1927–44) |
30 May 1944 | |
2. | Éamon de Valera | 14 October 1882 | 10 July 1917[nb 1] | Fianna Fáil[nb 2] | East Clare (1917–22), Clare (1922–59) |
23 June 1959 | |
3. | John A. Costello | 20 June 1891 | 24 January 1933 | Fine Gael[nb 3] | Dublin County (1933–37), Dublin Townships (1937–43; 1944–48), Dublin South-East (1948–69) |
18 June 1969 | |
4. | Seán Lemass | 12 July 1899 | 18 November 1924 | Fianna Fáil[nb 2] | Dublin South (1924–48), Dublin South-Central (1948–69) |
18 June 1969 | |
5. | Jack Lynch | 15 August 1917 | 29 March 1948 | Fianna Fáil | Cork Borough (1948–69), Cork City North-West (1969–77), Cork City (1977–81) |
11 June 1981 | |
6. | Liam Cosgrave | 13 April 1920 | 29 March 1943 | Fine Gael | Dublin County (1943–48), Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown (1948–77), Dún Laoghaire (1977–81) |
11 June 1981 | |
7. | Charles Haughey | 16 September 1925 | 29 March 1957 | Fianna Fáil | Dublin North-East (1957–77), Dublin Artane (1977–81), Dublin North-Central (1981–92) |
25 November 1992 | |
8. | Garret FitzGerald | 9 February 1926 | 18 June 1969 | Fine Gael | Dublin South-East | 25 November 1992 | |
9. | Albert Reynolds | 3 November 1932 | 16 June 1977 | Fianna Fáil | Longford–Westmeath (1977–92), Longford–Roscommon (1992–2002) |
17 May 2002 | |
10. | John Bruton | 18 May 1947 | 18 June 1969 | Fine Gael | Meath | 31 October 2004 | |
11. | Bertie Ahern | 12 September 1951 | 16 June 1977 | Fianna Fáil | Dublin Finglas (1977–81), Dublin Central (1981–2011) |
1 February 2011 | |
12. | Brian Cowen | 10 January 1960 | 14 June 1984 | Fianna Fáil | Laois–Offaly | 1 February 2011 | |
13. | Enda Kenny | 24 April 1951 | 12 November 1975 | Fine Gael | Mayo West (1975–97), Mayo (1997–) |
||
14. | Leo Varadkar | 18 January 1979 | 24 May 2007 | Fine Gael | Dublin West |
Periods in office
No. | Name | Entered office | Left office | Elected | Period | Party | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | W. T. Cosgrave | 6 December 1922[nb 4] | 9 March 1932 | 5 terms | – | Cumann na nGaedheal | |
2. | Éamon de Valera | 9 March 1932[nb 5][nb 6] | 18 February 1948 | 6 terms[nb 7] | 1st time | Fianna Fáil | |
3. | John A. Costello | 18 February 1948 | 13 June 1951 | 1 term | 1st time | Fine Gael | |
Éamon de Valera | 13 June 1951 | 2 June 1954 | 1 term | 2nd time | Fianna Fáil | ||
John A. Costello | 2 June 1954 | 20 March 1957 | 1 term | 2nd time | Fine Gael | ||
Éamon de Valera | 20 March 1957 | 23 June 1959 | 1 term | 3rd time | Fianna Fáil | ||
4. | Seán Lemass | 23 June 1959 | 10 November 1966 | 3 terms | – | Fianna Fáil | |
5. | Jack Lynch | 10 November 1966 | 14 March 1973 | 2 terms | 1st time | Fianna Fáil | |
6. | Liam Cosgrave | 14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | 1 term | – | Fine Gael | |
Jack Lynch | 5 July 1977 | 11 December 1979 | 1 term | 2nd time | Fianna Fáil | ||
7. | Charles Haughey | 11 December 1979 | 30 June 1981 | 1 term | 1st time | Fianna Fáil | |
8. | Garret FitzGerald | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | 1 term | 1st time | Fine Gael | |
Charles Haughey | 9 March 1982 | 14 December 1982 | 1 term | 2nd time | Fianna Fáil | ||
Garret FitzGerald | 14 December 1982 | 10 March 1987 | 1 term | 2nd time | Fine Gael | ||
Charles Haughey | 10 March 1987 | 11 February 1992 | 2 terms | 3rd time | Fianna Fáil | ||
9. | Albert Reynolds | 11 February 1992 | 15 December 1994 | 1 term | – | Fianna Fáil | |
10. | John Bruton | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | 1 term | – | Fine Gael | |
11. | Bertie Ahern | 26 June 1997 | 7 May 2008 | 3 terms | – | Fianna Fáil | |
12. | Brian Cowen | 7 May 2008 | 9 March 2011 | 1 term | – | Fianna Fáil | |
13. | Enda Kenny | 9 March 2011 | 14 June 2017 | 2 terms | – | Fine Gael | |
14. | Leo Varadkar | 14 June 2017 | 1 term | – | Fine Gael |
Cumulative days served
No. | Name | First entered office | Finally left office | Periods | Cumulative days[nb 8] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2. | Éamon de Valera | 9 March 1932[nb 5] | 23 June 1959 | 3 | 7,735 (21 years, 2 months)[nb 9][nb 10] | |
11. | Bertie Ahern | 26 June 1997 | 7 May 2008 | 1 | 3,968 (10 years, 10 months) | |
1. | W. T. Cosgrave | 6 December 1922 | 9 March 1932 | 1 | 3,381 (9 years, 3 months)[nb 11] | |
5. | Jack Lynch | 10 November 1966 | 11 December 1979 | 2 | 3,205 (8 years, 9 months) | |
4. | Seán Lemass | 23 June 1959 | 10 November 1966 | 1 | 2,697 (7 years, 5 months) | |
7. | Charles Haughey | 11 December 1979 | 11 February 1992 | 3 | 2,646 (7 years, 3 months)[nb 8] | |
13. | Enda Kenny | 9 March 2011 | 14 June 2017 | 1 | 2,289 (6 years, 3 months)[nb 8] | |
3. | John A. Costello | 18 February 1948 | 20 March 1957 | 2 | 2,233 (6 years, 1 month) | |
8. | Garret FitzGerald | 30 June 1981 | 10 March 1987 | 2 | 1,799 (4 years, 11 months) | |
6. | Liam Cosgrave | 14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | 1 | 1,574 (4 years, 4 months) | |
9. | Albert Reynolds | 11 February 1992 | 15 December 1994 | 1 | 1,038 (2 years, 10 months)[nb 8] | |
12. | Brian Cowen | 7 May 2008 | 9 March 2011 | 1 | 1,036 (2 years, 10 months) | |
10. | John Bruton | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | 1 | 924 (2 years, 6 months) | |
14. | Leo Varadkar | 14 June 2017 | 1 | 485 (1 year, 3 months) |
Length of individual periods
No. | Name | Entered office | Left office | Period No. | Period length | Period length in days[nb 8] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2. | Éamon de Valera | 9 March 1932[nb 5] | 18 February 1948 | 1 | 15 years, 11 months, 16 days | 5,824 | |
11. | Bertie Ahern | 26 June 1997 | 7 May 2008 | 1 | 10 years, 10 months, 11 days | 3,968 | |
1. | W. T. Cosgrave | 6 December 1922 | 9 March 1932 | 1 | 9 years, 3 months, 4 days | 3,381[nb 11] | |
4. | Seán Lemass | 23 June 1959 | 11 November 1966 | 1 | 7 years, 4 months, 17 days | 2,697 | |
5. | Jack Lynch | 11 November 1966 | 14 March 1973 | 1 | 6 years, 4 months, 4 days | 2,316 | |
13. | Enda Kenny | 9 March 2011 | 14 June 2017 | 1 | 6 years, 3 months, 5 days | 2,289[nb 8] | |
7. | Charles Haughey | 10 March 1987 | 11 February 1992 | 3 | 4 years, 11 months, 1 day | 1,799[nb 8] | |
6. | Liam Cosgrave | 14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | 1 | 4 years, 3 months, 22 days | 1,574 | |
8. | Garret FitzGerald | 14 December 1982 | 10 March 1987 | 2 | 4 years, 2 months, 27 days | 1,547 | |
3. | John A. Costello | 18 February 1948 | 13 June 1951 | 1 | 3 years, 3 months, 24 days | 1,211 | |
Éamon de Valera | 13 June 1951 | 2 June 1954 | 2 | 2 years, 11 months, 19 days | 1,085 | ||
9. | Albert Reynolds | 11 February 1992 | 15 December 1994 | 1 | 2 years, 10 months, 4 days | 1,038[nb 8] | |
12. | Brian Cowen | 7 May 2008 | 9 March 2011 | 1 | 2 years, 10 months, 2 days | 1,036 | |
John A. Costello | 2 June 1954 | 20 March 1957 | 2 | 2 years, 9 months, 18 days | 1,022 | ||
10. | John Bruton | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | 1 | 2 years, 6 months, 11 days | 924 | |
Jack Lynch | 5 July 1977 | 11 December 1979 | 2 | 2 years, 5 months, 6 days | 889 | ||
Éamon de Valera | 20 March 1957 | 23 June 1959 | 3 | 2 years, 3 months, 3 days | 825 | ||
Charles Haughey | 11 December 1979 | 30 June 1981 | 1 | 1 year, 6 months, 19 days | 567 | ||
14. | Leo Varadkar | 14 June 2017 | Incumbent | 1 | 1 year, 3 months | 485 | |
Charles Haughey | 9 March 1982 | 14 December 1982 | 2 | 9 months, 5 days | 280 | ||
Garret FitzGerald | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | 1 | 8 months, 9 days | 252 |
Longevity
No. | Name | Born | Died | Age as of 12 October 2018 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6. | Liam Cosgrave | 13 April 1920 | 4 October 2017 | 97 years, 174 days | |
2. | Éamon de Valera | 14 October 1882 | 29 August 1975 | 92 years, 319 days | |
1. | W. T. Cosgrave | 6 June 1880 | 16 November 1965 | 85 years, 163 days | |
8. | Garret FitzGerald | 9 February 1926 | 19 May 2011 | 85 years, 99 days | |
3. | John A. Costello | 20 June 1891 | 5 January 1976 | 84 years, 199 days | |
5. | Jack Lynch | 15 August 1917 | 20 October 1999 | 82 years, 66 days | |
9. | Albert Reynolds | 3 November 1932 | 21 August 2014 | 81 years, 291 days | |
7. | Charles Haughey | 16 September 1925 | 13 June 2006 | 80 years, 270 days | |
4. | Seán Lemass | 12 July 1899 | 11 May 1971 | 71 years, 303 days | |
10. | John Bruton | 18 May 1947 | 71 years, 147 days | ||
13. | Enda Kenny | 24 April 1951 | 67 years, 171 days | ||
11. | Bertie Ahern | 12 September 1951 | 67 years, 30 days | ||
12. | Brian Cowen | 10 January 1960 | 58 years, 275 days | ||
14. | Leo Varadkar | 18 January 1979 | 39 years, 267 days |
Age on entering/leaving office
No. | Name | Born | Entered office | Age | Left office | Age | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14. | Leo Varadkar | 18 January 1979 | 14 June 2017 | 38 years, 4 months | Incumbent | – | |
1. | W. T. Cosgrave | 6 June 1880 | 6 December 1922 | 42 years, 6 months | 9 March 1932 | 51 years, 9 months | |
11. | Bertie Ahern | 12 September 1951 | 26 June 1997 | 45 years, 9 months | 7 May 2008 | 56 years, 7 months | |
10. | John Bruton | 18 May 1947 | 15 December 1994 | 47 years, 6 months | 26 June 1997 | 50 years, 1 month | |
12. | Brian Cowen | 10 January 1960 | 7 May 2008 | 48 years, 3 months | 9 March 2011 | 51 years, 1 month | |
5. | Jack Lynch | 15 August 1917 | 10 November 1966 | 49 years, 2 months | 11 December 1979 | 62 years, 3 months | |
2. | Éamon de Valera | 14 October 1882 | 9 March 1932[nb 5] | 49 years, 4 months | 23 June 1959 | 76 years, 8 months | |
6. | Liam Cosgrave | 13 April 1920 | 14 March 1973 | 52 years, 11 months | 5 July 1977 | 57 years, 2 months | |
7. | Charles Haughey | 16 September 1925 | 11 December 1979 | 54 years, 2 months | 11 February 1992 | 66 years, 4 months | |
8. | Garret FitzGerald | 9 February 1926 | 30 June 1981 | 55 years, 4 months | 10 March 1987 | 61 years, 1 month | |
3. | John A. Costello | 20 June 1891 | 18 February 1948 | 56 years, 7 months | 20 March 1957 | 65 years, 9 months | |
9. | Albert Reynolds | 3 November 1932 | 11 February 1992 | 59 years, 3 months | 15 December 1994 | 62 years, 1 month | |
13. | Enda Kenny | 24 April 1951 | 9 March 2011 | 59 years, 10 months | 14 June 2017 | 66 years, 1 month | |
4. | Seán Lemass | 12 July 1899 | 23 June 1959 | 59 years, 11 months | 10 November 1966 | 67 years, 3 months |
Education
Living officeholders
There are currently four living former Taoisigh:
Taoiseach | Term of office | Date of birth |
---|---|---|
John Bruton | 1994–97 | 18 May 1947 |
Bertie Ahern | 1997–2008 | 12 September 1951 |
Brian Cowen | 2008–11 | 10 January 1960 |
Enda Kenny | 2011–17 | 24 April 1951 |
Timeline of living/deceased officeholders
Date | Living | Deceased | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
4 October 2017 | 5 | 9 | Liam Cosgrave dies |
14 June 2017 | 6 | 8 | Leo Varadkar accedes |
21 August 2014 | 5 | 8 | Albert Reynolds dies |
19 May 2011 | 6 | 7 | Garrett FitzGerald dies |
9 March 2011 | 7 | 6 | Enda Kenny accedes |
7 May 2008 | 6 | 6 | Brian Cowen accedes |
13 June 2006 | 5 | 6 | Charles Haughey dies |
20 October 1999 | 6 | 5 | Jack Lynch dies |
26 June 1997 | 7 | 4 | Bertie Ahern accedes |
15 December 1994 | 6 | 4 | John Bruton accedes |
11 February 1992 | 5 | 4 | Albert Reynolds accedes |
30 June 1981 | 4 | 4 | Garret FitzGerald accedes |
11 December 1979 | 3 | 4 | Charles Haughey accedes |
6 January 1976 | 2 | 4 | John A. Costello dies |
29 August 1975 | 3 | 3 | Eamonn De Valera dies |
14 March 1973 | 4 | 2 | Liam Cosgrave accedes |
16 May 1971 | 3 | 2 | Sean Lemass dies |
10 November 1966 | 4 | 1 | Jack Lynch accedes |
11 May 1965 | 3 | 1 | W. T. Cosgrave dies |
23 June 1959 | 4 | 0 | Seán Lemass accedes |
18 February 1948 | 3 | 0 | John A. Costello accedes |
9 March 1932 | 2 | 0 | Éamon de Valera accedes |
6 December 1922 | 1 | 0 | W. T. Cosgrave accedes |
See also
Notes
- 1 2 First elected to the British House of Commons in 1917 but did not take his seat.
- 1 2 3 First elected as member of Sinn Féin.
- ↑ First elected as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála.
- ↑ Cosgrave also headed the Irish Government from 22 August 1922, during the transitional period before the state became officially independent on 6 December 1922 (See Irish heads of government since 1919).
- 1 2 3 4 De Valera became Taoiseach on 29 December 1937 under the Constitution of Ireland.
- ↑ De Valera also headed the pre-independence revolutionary Irish Government from 1 April 1919 to 9 January 1922 (See Irish heads of government since 1919).
- ↑ De Valera also served 3 terms as President of the Executive Council.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Days shown include four short periods when a Taoiseach resigned but continued as Acting Taoiseach, as required by the Article 28.11.1 of the Constitution. These periods are 13 days for Charles Haughey (from 29 June to 12 July 1989), 57 days for Albert Reynolds (29 days from 14 December 1992 to 12 January 1993, and 28 days from 17 November to 15 December 1994), and 57 days for Enda Kenny (from 10 March to 6 May 2016).[5]
- ↑ De Valera served as Taoiseach for 5,613 days (15 years, 4 months).
- ↑ De Valera also headed the pre-independence revolutionary Irish Government from 1 April 1919 to 9 January 1922 (See Irish heads of government since 1919). Including these 1,015 extra days would raise his cumulative days served to 8,750 days (23 years, 11 months, 16 days).
- 1 2 Cosgrave also headed the Irish Government from 22 August 1922, during the transitional period before the state became officially independent on 6 December 1922 (See Irish heads of government since 1919). Including these 106 extra days would raise his cumulative days served to 3,487 days (9 years, 6 months, 19 days).
References
- ↑ "Coughlan new Tánaiste in Cowen Cabinet". The Irish Times. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
- ↑ "Taoiseach reveals new front bench". RTÉ News. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
- ↑ "Cowen confirmed as Taoiseach". BreakingNews.ie. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
- ↑ "Former Taoisigh". Department of the Taoiseach. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ↑ Oireachtas Library and Research Service (28 June 2016). "Caretaker governments and caretaker conventions" (PDF). Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
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