de Valéra, Éamon

de Valéra, Éamon (b. 14 Oct. 1882, d. 29 Aug. 1975). Irish Premier 1932–48, 1951–4, 1957–9; President 1959–73 The foremost Irish politician of the twentieth century, under whose leadership Ireland achieved full political independence from the UK. Born in New York, he was sent to Ireland to be raised by his maternal grandmother after the death of his father. Educated at University College Dublin, de Valéra began a career as a mathematician and college lecturer. He joined the Irish Volunteers, a nationalist military force, in 1913, and commanded a battalion in the Easter Rising of 1916. Along with other leaders, he was captured, tried, and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, but he was released on 16 June 1917. In October 1917 he was elected president of Sinn Féin. He was arrested by the British for his opposition to extending conscription to Ireland, but escaped in 1919.

De Valéra was elected president of the first Dáil Éireann (the native Irish Parliament, not yet recognized as sovereign). During the War of Independence against Britain he was active raising funds in the USA, 1919–21. He was closely involved in the peace talks with the British, but rejected the eventual settlement, which saw the division of Ireland. In the ensuing civil war between supporters and opponents of the settlement (1922–3), de Valera led those who opposed the treaty. In 1923, he called an end to the conflict by suspending IRA activity. In April 1926, he founded a new republican party, Fianna Fáil, whose president he became.

He continued to lead Irish opposition to British institutions, refusing to take up his seat in the Dáil Éireann over the required loyalty oath to the British Crown until 1927. Fianna Fáil were brought into power for the first time on 9 March 1932 and he became President of the Executive Council (Prime Minister) of the Irish Free State (1932–7). His first administration abolished the loyalty oath. Taking advantage of the Abdication Crisis in 1936, he set about removing all references to the British Crown in the Free State Constitution (retaining the King only for external relations). The new Constitution of Éire came into operation on 29 December 1937.

De Valéra continued in office, with the title of Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Éire (1937–48). He insisted on Irish neutrality during World War II, made easier by the fact that the British government had returned control of ports to the Republic in the Anglo-Irish Agreement of April 1938. He argued that this neutrality was necessary for the new nation to assert its independence. This angered Churchill, who denounced him in a radio address on 13 May 1945. De Valéra's famous response on 17 May 1945 drew much praise in Ireland and elsewhere. The war period left the Irish economy in trouble, and he was defeated in the 1948 election, replaced by John A. Costello. Back in power as Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland 1951–4, de Valéra and Fianna Fáil were unable to revive the economy and were replaced by Costello again. De Valéra's final government 1957–9 saw some economic reform. As President, he became the oldest serving head of state in the world. He died in Dublin, and was buried in Glasnevin cemetery.