Records of Irish heads of government since 1922: Difference between revisions

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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 1922–32, and then by Éamon de Valera from 1932–37. By convention Taoisigh are numbered to include Cosgrave,^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] for example Brian Cowen is considered the 12th Taoiseach not the 11th.

The first list is of all heads of Irish governments since 1922 by birth date, date first elected to Dáil Éireann, political party, Dáil constituency and date that they ceased to be a member of the Dáil. 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 of that of Taoisigh still living and the sixth list is by longevity. The seventh list is by age on entering and leaving office

Electoral history

No.	Name	Born	First elected		Party	Constituency	Left Dáil
1.	W. T. Cosgrave	6 June 1880	10 August 1917^[5]	style="background-color: Template:Cumann na nGaedheal/meta/color" \|	Cumann na nGaedheal^[6]	Carlow–Kilkenny	30 May 1944
2.	Éamon de Valera	14 October 1882	10 July 1917^[5]	style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	Fianna Fáil^[6]	Clare	23 June 1959
3.	John A. Costello	20 June 1891	24 January 1933	style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" \|	Fine Gael^[7]	Dublin South East	18 June 1969
4.	Seán Lemass	12 July 1899	18 November 1924	style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	Fianna Fáil^[6]	Dublin South Central	18 June 1969
5.	Jack Lynch	15 August 1917	29 March 1948	style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	Fianna Fáil	Cork Borough	11 June 1981
6.	Liam Cosgrave	13 April 1920	29 March 1943	style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" \|	Fine Gael	Dublin County	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	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–Roscommon	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 Central	–
12.	Brian Cowen	10 January 1960	14 June 1984	style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	Fianna Fáil	Laois–Offaly	–

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^[8]	18 February 1948	7 terms	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	Incumbent	1 term	–	style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	Fianna Fáil

Cumulative days served

No.		Name	First Entered Office	Finally Left Office	Periods	Cumulative Days as of 2 December 2024
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	2.	Éamon de Valera	9 March 1932^[8]	23 June 1959	3	7,735 (21 years, 2 months)^[9]
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" \|	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:Fine Gael/meta/color" \|	10.	John Bruton	15 December 1994	26 June 1997	1	924 (2 years, 6 months)
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	12.	Brian Cowen	7 May 2008	Incumbent	1	6053 (16 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^[8]	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 1932	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: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: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" \|	12.	Brian Cowen	7 May 2008	Incumbent	1	16 years, 6 months	6053
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

Living Taoisigh

There are currently six living Taoisigh – Brian Cowen the incumbent, and five living retired Taoisigh:

Liam Cosgrave (born 1920)
Garret FitzGerald (born 1926)
Albert Reynolds (born 1932)
John Bruton (born 1947)
Bertie Ahern (born 1951)

The following table shows the changes to this number in the past.

From	Living	Deceased	Notes
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. The highest ever total of living Taoisigh.
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

Longevity

De Valera was the longest-lived Taoiseach, living to almost 93. If Liam Cosgrave is still alive on 26 February 2013, he will surpass De Valera's record and become the longest-lived Taoiseach.

No.		Name	Born	Died	Age as of 2 December 2024
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:Fine Gael/meta/color" \|	6.	Liam Cosgrave	13 April 1920		104 years, 233 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		98 years, 297 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" \|	7.	Charles Haughey	16 September 1925	13 June 2006	80 years, 270 days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	9.	Albert Reynolds	3 November 1932		92 years, 29 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, 198 days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	11.	Bertie Ahern	12 September 1951		73 years, 81 days
style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	12.	Brian Cowen	10 January 1960		64 years, 327 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	Incumbent	–
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^[8]	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:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" \|	4.	Seán Lemass	12 July 1899	23 June 1959	59 years, 11 months	10 November 1966	67 years, 3 months

External links

Official website of the Taoiseach

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. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
^ ^a ^b First elected to the British House of Commons in 1917 but did not take his seat.
^ ^a ^b ^c First elected as member of Sinn Féin.
^ First elected as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d De Valera became Taoiseach on 29 December 1937 under the Constitution of Ireland.
^ De Valera served as Taoiseach for 5,613 days (15 years, 4 months).

[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 17 May 2008.

[Elected-5] First elected to the British House of Commons in 1917 but did not take his seat.

[Sinn-6] First elected as member of Sinn Féin.

[7] First elected as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála.

[dev-8] De Valera became Taoiseach on 29 December 1937 under the Constitution of Ireland.

[9] De Valera served as Taoiseach for 5,613 days (15 years, 4 months).

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@@ Line 735: / Line 735: @@
 ==Longevity==
-De Valera was the longest-lived Taoiseach, living to almost 93.
+De Valera was the longest-lived Taoiseach, living to almost 93. If Liam Cosgrave is still alive on 26 February 2013, he will surpass De Valera's record and become the longest-lived Taoiseach.
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