The Taoiseach (Prime Minister) is the head of government in Ireland. There have been 19 Taoisigh since the creation of the office in 1937. The current Taoiseach is Enda Kenny
List of Taoisigh
edit| No. | Name (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Term Start | Term End | Political Party | Election(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Éamon de Valera (1882-1975) |
|
29 December 1937 | 18 February 1948 | Fianna Fáil | 1937, 1938, 1943, 1944 | |
| 2. | John A. Costello (1891–1976) |
18 February 1948 | 13 June 1951 | Fine Gael | 1948 | ||
| 3. | Éamon de Valera (1882-1975) |
|
13 June 1951 | 2 June 1954 | Fianna Fáil | 1951 | |
| 4. | John A. Costello (1891–1976) |
2 June 1954 | 20 March 1957 | Fine Gael | 1954 | ||
| 5. | Éamon de Valera (1882-1975) |
|
20 March 1957 | 23 June 1959 | Fianna Fáil | 1957 | |
| 6. | Seán Lemass (1899–1971) |
23 June 1959 | 10 November 1966 | Fianna Fáil | 1961, 1965 | ||
| 7. | Jack Lynch (1917–1999) |
|
10 November 1966 | 14 March 1973 | Fianna Fáil | 1969 | |
| 8. | Liam Cosgrave (born 1920) |
14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | Fine Gael | 1973 | ||
| 9. | Jack Lynch (1917–1999) |
|
5 July 1977 | 11 December 1979 | Fianna Fáil | 1977 | |
| 10. | Charles Haughey (1925-2006) |
|
11 December 1979 | 30 June 1981 | Fianna Fáil | None[note 1] | |
| 11. | Garret FitzGerald (1926-2011) |
|
30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | Fine Gael | 1981 | |
| 12. | Charles Haughey (1925-2006) |
|
9 March 1982 | 14 December 1982 | Fianna Fáil | 1982 (Feb) | |
| 13. | Garret FitzGerald (1926-2011) |
|
14 December 1982 | 10 March 1987 | Fine Gael | 1982 (Nov) | |
| 14. | Charles Haughey (1925-2006) |
|
10 March 1987 | 11 February 1992 | Fianna Fáil | 1987 | |
| 15. | Albert Reynolds (1932-2014) |
11 February 1992 | 15 December 1994 | Fianna Fáil | 1992 | ||
| 16. | John Bruton (born 1947) |
|
15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | Fine Gael | None[note 2] | |
| 17. | Bertie Ahern (born 1951) |
|
26 June 1997 | 7 May 2008 | Fianna Fáil | 1997, 2002, 2007 | |
| 18. | Brian Cowen (born 1960) |
|
7 May 2008 | 9 March 2011 | Fianna Fáil | None[note 3] | |
| 19. | Enda Kenny (born 1951) |
|
9 March 2011 | Incumbent | Fine Gael | 2011 | |
Former Taoisigh
editCurrently, there are four living former Taoisigh. They are:
- Liam Cosgrave
- John Bruton
- Bertie Ahern
- Brian Cowen
Statistics
edit- The longest serving Taoiseach over a consecutive term is Bertie Ahern (Served 1997-2008)
- The longest serving Taoiseach over multiple terms is Éamon de Valera (Served 1937-1948, 1951-1954 and 1957-1959)
- The shortest serving Taoiseach over the length of time served is Charles Haughey (Served Feb. 1982-Nov. 1982)
Notes
edit- ^ Haughey did not become Taoiseach in his first term as a result of a general election. However, he became Taoiseach as a result of him winning Fianna Fáil's Leadership Election after Jack Lynch resigned in 1979
- ^ Bruton became Taoiseach after Albert Reynolds resigned as Taoiseach. As a result, Fine Gael, the Labour Party and the Democratic Left formed the "rainbow coalition" government with Bruton as Taoiseach.
- ^ Cowen did not become Taoiseach as a result of a general election. However, as a result of Bertie Ahern's resignation, Cowen was nominated by Dáil Éireann to succeed Ahern as Taoiseach.