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Records of Irish heads of government since 1922

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 87.112.99.239 (talk) at 18:44, 6 May 2016 (→Periods in office). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

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 Enda Kenny is considered the 13th Taoiseach not the 12th.

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] style="background-color: Template:Cumann na nGaedheal/meta/color" | Cumann na nGaedheal[nb 2] 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] style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil[nb 2] East Clare (1917–22),
Clare (1922–59) 		23 June 1959
3. John A. Costello 20 June 1891 24 January 1933 style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 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 style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 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 style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 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 style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 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 style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 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 style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Fine Gael Dublin South–East 15 June 1989
9. Albert Reynolds 3 November 1932 16 June 1977 style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil Longford–Westmeath (1977–92),
Longford–Roscommon (1992–2002) 		17 May 2002
10. John Bruton 18 May 1947 18 June 1969 style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Fine Gael Meath 31 October 2004
11. Bertie Ahern 12 September 1951 16 June 1977 style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil Dublin Finglas (1977–81),
Dublin Central (1981–2011) 		1 February 2011
12. Brian Cowen 10 January 1960 14 June 1984 style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil Laois–Offaly 1 February 2011
13. Enda Kenny 24 April 1951 12 November 1975 style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Fine Gael Mayo West (1975–97),
Mayo (1997–)

Periods in office

No. Name Entered office Left office Elected Period   Party
1. W. T. Cosgrave 6 December 1922 9 March 1932 5 terms – style="background-color: Template:Cumann na nGaedheal/meta/color" | Cumann na nGaedheal
2. Éamon de Valera 9 March 1932[nb 4] 18 February 1948 6 terms[nb 5] 1st time style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
3. John A. Costello 18 February 1948 13 June 1951 1 term 1st time style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Fine Gael
Éamon de Valera 13 June 1951 2 June 1954 1 term 2nd time style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
John A. Costello 2 June 1954 20 March 1957 1 term 2nd time style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Fine Gael
Éamon de Valera 20 March 1957 23 June 1959 1 term 3rd time style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
4. Seán Lemass 23 June 1959 10 November 1966 3 terms – style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
5. Jack Lynch 10 November 1966 14 March 1973 2 terms 1st time style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
6. Liam Cosgrave 14 March 1973 5 July 1977 1 term – style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Fine Gael
Jack Lynch 5 July 1977 11 December 1979 1 term 2nd time style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
7. Charles Haughey 11 December 1979 30 June 1981 1 term 1st time style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
8. Garret FitzGerald 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 1 term 1st time style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Fine Gael
Charles Haughey 9 March 1982 14 December 1982 1 term 2nd time style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
Garret FitzGerald 14 December 1982 10 March 1987 1 term 2nd time style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Fine Gael
Charles Haughey 10 March 1987 11 February 1992 2 terms 3rd time style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
9. Albert Reynolds 11 February 1992 15 December 1994 1 term – style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
10. John Bruton 15 December 1994 26 June 1997 1 term – style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Fine Gael
11. Bertie Ahern 26 June 1997 7 May 2008 3 terms – style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
12. Brian Cowen 7 May 2008 9 March 2011 1 term – style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Fianna Fáil
13. Enda Kenny 9 March 2011 Incumbent 2 terms – style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Fine Gael

Cumulative days served

No. Name First entered office Finally left office Periods Cumulative days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 2. Éamon de Valera 9 March 1932[nb 4] 23 June 1959 3 7,735 (21 years, 2 months)[nb 6]
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 11. Bertie Ahern 26 June 1997 7 May 2008 1 3,968 (10 years, 10 months)
style="background-color: Template:Cumann na nGaedheal/meta/color" | 1. W. T. Cosgrave 6 December 1922 9 March 1932 1 3,381 (9 years, 3 months)
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 5. Jack Lynch 10 November 1966 11 December 1979 2 3,205 (8 years, 9 months)
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 4. Seán Lemass 23 June 1959 10 November 1966 1 2,697 (7 years, 5 months)
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 7. Charles Haughey 11 December 1979 11 February 1992 3 2,646 (7 years, 3 months)
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 3. John A. Costello 18 February 1948 20 March 1957 2 2,233 (6 years, 1 month)
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 13. Enda Kenny 9 March 2011 Incumbent 1 5004 (13 years, 8 months)
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 8. Garret FitzGerald 30 June 1981 10 March 1987 2 1,799 (4 years, 11 months)
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 6. Liam Cosgrave 14 March 1973 5 July 1977 1 1,574 (4 years, 4 months)
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 9. Albert Reynolds 11 February 1992 15 December 1994 1 1,038 (2 years, 10 months)
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 12. Brian Cowen 7 May 2008 9 March 2011 1 1,036 (2 years, 10 months)
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 10. John Bruton 15 December 1994 26 June 1997 1 924 (2 years, 6 months)

Length of individual periods

No. Name Entered office Left office Period No. Period length Period length in days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 2. Éamon de Valera 9 March 1932[nb 4] 18 February 1948 1 15 years, 11 months, 16 days 5,824
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 11. Bertie Ahern 26 June 1997 7 May 2008 1 10 years, 10 months, 11 days 3,968
style="background-color: Template:Cumann na nGaedheal/meta/color" | 1. W. T. Cosgrave 6 December 1922 9 March 1932 1 9 years, 3 months, 4 days 3,381
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 4. Seán Lemass 23 June 1959 11 November 1966 1 7 years, 4 months, 17 days 2,697
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 5. Jack Lynch 11 November 1966 14 March 1973 1 6 years, 4 months, 4 days 2,316
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 13. Enda Kenny 9 March 2011 Incumbent 1 13 years, 8 months 5004
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 7. Charles Haughey 10 March 1987 11 February 1992 3 4 years, 11 months, 1 day 1,799
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 6. Liam Cosgrave 14 March 1973 5 July 1977 1 4 years, 3 months, 22 days 1,574
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 8. Garret FitzGerald 14 December 1982 10 March 1987 2 4 years, 2 months, 27 days 1,547
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 3. John A. Costello 18 February 1948 13 June 1951 1 3 years, 3 months, 24 days 1,211
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Éamon de Valera 13 June 1951 2 June 1954 2 2 years, 11 months, 19 days 1,085
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 9. Albert Reynolds 11 February 1992 15 December 1994 1 2 years, 10 months, 4 days 1,038
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 12. Brian Cowen 7 May 2008 9 March 2011 1 2 years, 10 months, 2 days 1,036
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | John A. Costello 2 June 1954 20 March 1957 2 2 years, 9 months, 18 days 1,022
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 10. John Bruton 15 December 1994 26 June 1997 1 2 years, 6 months, 11 days 924
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Jack Lynch 5 July 1977 11 December 1979 2 2 years, 5 months, 6 days 889
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Éamon de Valera 20 March 1957 23 June 1959 3 2 years, 3 months, 3 days 825
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Charles Haughey 11 December 1979 30 June 1981 1 1 year, 6 months, 19 days 567
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | Charles Haughey 9 March 1982 14 December 1982 2 9 months, 5 days 280
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | Garret FitzGerald 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 1 8 months, 9 days 252

Longevity

No. Name Born Died Age as of
19 November 2024
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 6. Liam Cosgrave 13 April 1920 104 years, 220 days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 2. Éamon de Valera 14 October 1882 29 August 1975 92 years, 319 days
style="background-color: Template:Cumann na nGaedheal/meta/color" | 1. W. T. Cosgrave 6 June 1880 16 November 1965 85 years, 163 days
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 8. Garret FitzGerald 9 February 1926 19 May 2011 85 years, 99 days
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 3. John A. Costello 20 June 1891 5 January 1976 84 years, 199 days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 5. Jack Lynch 15 August 1917 20 October 1999 82 years, 66 days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 9. Albert Reynolds 3 November 1932 21 August 2014 81 years, 291 days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 7. Charles Haughey 16 September 1925 13 June 2006 80 years, 270 days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 4. Seán Lemass 12 July 1899 11 May 1971 71 years, 303 days
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 10. John Bruton 18 May 1947 77 years, 185 days
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 13. Enda Kenny 24 April 1951 73 years, 209 days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 11. Bertie Ahern 12 September 1951 73 years, 68 days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 12. Brian Cowen 10 January 1960 64 years, 314 days

Age on entering/leaving office

No. Name Born Entered office Age Left office Age
style="background-color: Template:Cumann na nGaedheal/meta/color" | 1. W. T. Cosgrave 6 June 1880 6 December 1922 42 years, 6 months 9 March 1932 51 years, 9 months
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 11. Bertie Ahern 12 September 1951 26 June 1997 45 years, 9 months 7 May 2008 56 years, 7 months
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 10. John Bruton 18 May 1947 15 December 1994 47 years, 6 months 26 June 1997 50 years, 1 month
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 12. Brian Cowen 10 January 1960 7 May 2008 48 years, 3 months 9 March 2011 51 years, 1 month
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 5. Jack Lynch 15 August 1917 10 November 1966 49 years, 2 months 11 December 1979 62 years, 3 months
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 2. Éamon de Valera 14 October 1882 9 March 1932[nb 4] 49 years, 4 months 23 June 1959 76 years, 8 months
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 6. Liam Cosgrave 13 April 1920 14 March 1973 52 years, 11 months 5 July 1977 57 years, 2 months
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 7. Charles Haughey 16 September 1925 11 December 1979 54 years, 2 months 11 February 1992 66 years, 4 months
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 8. Garret FitzGerald 9 February 1926 30 June 1981 55 years, 4 months 10 March 1987 61 years, 1 month
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 3. John A. Costello 20 June 1891 18 February 1948 56 years, 7 months 20 March 1957 65 years, 9 months
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 9. Albert Reynolds 3 November 1932 11 February 1992 59 years, 3 months 15 December 1994 62 years, 1 month
style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | 13. Enda Kenny 24 April 1951 9 March 2011 59 years, 10 months Incumbent –
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | 4. Seán Lemass 12 July 1899 23 June 1959 59 years, 11 months 10 November 1966 67 years, 3 months

Living officeholders

There are currently four living former Taoisigh:

Taoiseach Term of office Date of birth
Liam Cosgrave 1973–77 (1920-04-13) 13 April 1920 (age 104)
John Bruton 1994–97 (1947-05-18) 18 May 1947 (age 77)
Bertie Ahern 1997–2008 (1951-09-12) 12 September 1951 (age 73)
Brian Cowen 2008–11 (1960-01-10) 10 January 1960 (age 64)
Enda Kenny 2011–present (1951-04-24) 24 April 1951 (age 73)

Timeline of living/deceased officeholders

Date Living Deceased Notes
21 August 2014 5 8 Reynolds dies
19 May 2011 6 7 FitzGerald dies
9 March 2011 7 6 Enda Kenny accedes
7 May 2008 6 6 Brian Cowen accedes
13 June 2006 5 6 Haughey dies
20 October 1999 6 5 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 Costello dies
29 August 1975 3 3 De Valera dies
14 March 1973 4 2 Liam Cosgrave accedes
16 May 1971 3 2 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. ^ a b First elected to the British House of Commons in 1917 but did not take his seat.
  2. ^ a b c First elected as member of Sinn Féin.
  3. ^ First elected as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála.
  4. ^ a b c d De Valera became Taoiseach on 29 December 1937 under the Constitution of Ireland.
  5. ^ De Valera also served 3 terms as President of the Executive Council.
  6. ^ De Valera served as Taoiseach for 5,613 days (15 years, 4 months).

References

  1. ^ "Coughlan new Tánaiste in Cowen Cabinet". The Irish Times. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  2. ^ "Taoiseach reveals new front bench". RTÉ News. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  3. ^ "Cowen confirmed as Taoiseach". BreakingNews.ie. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  4. ^ "Former Taoisigh". Department of the Taoiseach. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
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