Diego de Valera

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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.

de Valera, Eamon (1882–1975). The dominant figure in Irish politics for over 40 years despite, or perhaps because of, his aloof, ascetic personality. De Valera was born in New York, reared in Co. Limerick, and was originally a mathematics teacher. He came to advanced nationalism through the Irish Language Movement and Volunteers. His rise to leadership was due to his being the last surviving commandant of the Easter Rising. Following release from internment in early 1917, he led a broad-based Sinn Fein coalition, and master-minded the move towards a moderate self-determination policy which successfully challenged the Irish Parliamentary Party. Arrested May 1918, de Valera escaped from Lincoln gaol in February 1919, and became president of the Dáil. He spent most of the Anglo-Irish War seeking recognition of the Irish Republic and financial backing in the USA. After the truce in July 1921, de Valera became chief negotiator in Dáil ranks but controversially absented himself from the peace conference, October–December. Opposing the Anglo-Irish treaty, he advanced external association as an alternative. He strove to avoid the drift to civil war but was rendered impotent by the force of military opposition to the treaty. Marginalized during the civil war, he recovered the leadership amongst republicans after the conflict, aided by being imprisoned until 1924. Splitting from Sinn Fein and the IRA and their Dáil abstentionist policy, he formed Fianna Fail Party, entering the Dáil in 1927. After winning the 1932 election he followed a treaty reform policy, abolishing the oath of allegiance to the British crown and ceasing payment of land annuities to Britain. The constitution of 1937 epitomized his social and cultural conservatism. De Valera followed popular neutrality policy in the Second World War, despite intense British and American opposition. Defeated in elections 1948 and 1954, but Taoiseach again 1951–4 and 1957–9, he withdrew to the presidency 1959–73. By the 1960s his policies appeared anachronistic in a rapidly evolving modern European state, leading to an increasingly unsympathetic portrayal of his career. J. J. Lee commented that de Valera would have made a leader beyond compare in the pre-industrial world. De Valera himself said: ‘I was meant to be a dyed-in-the-wool Tory or even a Bishop, rather than the leader of a Revolution.’

Michael Hopkinson

de Valera, Eamon (1882–1975). The dominant figure in Irish politics for over 40 years despite his aloof, ascetic personality. De Valera was born in New York, reared in Co. Limerick, and was originally a mathematics teacher. He came to advanced nationalism through the Irish Language Movement. His rise to leadership was due to his being the last surviving commandant of the Easter Rising. Following release from internment in early 1917, he led a broad‐based Sinn Fein coalition. Arrested May 1918, de Valera escaped from Lincoln gaol in February 1919, and became president of the Dáil. After the truce in July 1921, de Valera became chief negotiator in Dáil ranks but controversially absented himself from the peace conference. Opposing the Anglo‐Irish treaty, he advanced external association as an alternative. Splitting from Sinn Fein and the IRA and their Dáil abstentionist policy, he formed Fianna Fail Party, entering the Dáil in 1927. After winning the 1932 election he followed a treaty reform policy, abolishing the oath of allegiance to the British crown. The constitution of 1937 epitomized his social and cultural conservatism. De Valera followed popular neutrality policy in the Second World War. Defeated in elections 1948 and 1954, but taoiseach> again 1951–4 and 1957–9, he withdrew to the presidency 1959–73. De Valera himself said: ‘I was meant to be a dyed‐in‐the‐wool Tory or even a Bishop, rather than the leader of a Revolution.’

de Valera, Eamon (1882–1975) US-born Irish statesman. A fervent Irish nationalist, de Valera was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916 and was sentenced to death by the British, but was released a year later. He served as leader of Sinn Fein (1917–26) and President of the Irish provisional government (1919–22), and as an opponent of the Anglo-Irish Treaty headed the militant republicans in the ensuing civil war. In 1926 he founded the Fianna Fáil Party, which he led in the Dáil. In 1932 de Valera became President of the Irish Free State, and was largely responsible for the new constitution of 1937, which created the sovereign state of Eire. He served as Taoiseach (Prime Minister) (1937–48; 1951–54; 1957–59) and President (1959–73).

Diego de Valera , 1412?–1488?, Spanish adventurer and writer. Reared at the Castilian court, he was page to John II and later became one of his diplomatic agents. He took part in the campaigns against the Hussites. After the death of John II he retired to scholarly pursuits, but he returned to public life in 1474 to become majordomo to Isabella I and chronicler of Ferdinand II, whom he incited to the conquest of Granada. His works range from poetry to philosophy and genealogy, but his chief importance is as a historian. His Crónica abreviada, a universal history from the creation to John II, is continued by chronicles of the reigns of Henry IV of Castile and of Ferdinand and Isabella.

De Valera, Eamon (1882–1975) Irish statesman, taoiseach (1932–48, 1951–54, 1957–59). De Valera was active in the Irish independence struggle and, after the Easter Rising (1916), was elected president of Sinn Féin while imprisoned in England. He opposed William Cosgrave's Irish Free State ministry and founded Fianna Fáil in 1924. He defeated Cosgrave in 1932. In 1959, De Valera became president of the republic. He retired in 1973.

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