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'''Taoiseach ''[TEE-shuck]'''''
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The '''Taoiseach''' ''(pronounced "tee-shuck"; plural: Taoisigh [tee-shig])'' is the official title of the Prime Minister of the [[Republic of Ireland]]. The title has its origin in the leaders of clans in medieval Ireland. The Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland is known as the [[Tánasite]]. The current Taoiseach is [[Brian Cowen]], leader of the [[Fianna Fail]] party.
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==History==
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The origin of the office of Taoiseach comes from the establishment of the Irish Free State, the precursor to the current Republic of Ireland, in 1923. The premier of the new free state was known as the President of the Executive Council. When a new Irish Constitution was passed in 1937, this office was replaced with that of the Taoiseach, though its roles and fucntions remained the same. The office of Taoiseach is usually assumed by the leader of whatever party which gains the most votes in a general election. A Taoiseach's term lasts five years, and unlike the American presidential system, there is no term limit. The longest serving Taoiseach so far is Eamon de Valera, who served as Taoiseach (renaming it from President in 1937) from 1932 to 1948, a total of sixteen years.
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==Taoisigh of Ireland==
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'''Presidents of the Executive Council'''
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{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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!President
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!Years
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!County
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!Party
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!Vice President(s)
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|-
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|1. [[William T. Cosgrave]]
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|6 Dec 1922 - 9 Mar 1932
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|Dublin
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|Cumann na nGaedheal
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|O'Higgins (1922 - 1927); Blythe (1927 - 1932)
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|-
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|2. [[Eamon de Valera]]
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|9 Mar 1932 - 29 Dec 1937
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|Clare
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|O'Ceallaigh
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'''Office replaced with "Taoiseach of Ireland"'''
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{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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!President
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!Years
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!County
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!Party
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!Vice President(s)
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|-
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|1. [[Eamon de Valera]]
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|29 Dec 1937 - 18 Feb 1948
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|Clare
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|O'Ceallaigh (1937 - 1945); Lemass (1945 - 1948)
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|-
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|2. [[John A. Costello]]
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|18 Feb 1948 - 13 June 1951
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|Dublin
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|Fine Gael
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|Norton
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|-
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|3. [[Eamon de Valera]]
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|13 June 1951 - 2 June 1954
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|Clare
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|Lemass
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|-
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|4. [[John A. Costello]]
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|2 June 1954 - 20 Mar 1957
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|Dublin
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|Fine Gael
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|Norton
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|-
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|5. [[Eamon de Valera]]
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|20 Mar 1957 - 23 June 1959
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|Clare
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|Lemass
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|-
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|6. [[Sean Lemass]]
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|23 June 1959 - 10 November 1966
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|Dublin
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|McEntee (1959 - 1965); Aiken (1965 - 1966)
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|-
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|7. [[Jack Lynch]]
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|10 Nov 1966 - 14 Mar 1973
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|Cork
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|Aiken (1966 - 1969); Childers (1969 - 1973)
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|-
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|8. [[Liam Cosgrave]]
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|14 Mar 1973 - 5 July 1977
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|Dublin
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|Fine Gael
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|Corish
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|-
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|9. [[Jack Lynch]]
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|5 July 1977 - 11 Dec 1979
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|Cork
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|Colley
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|-
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|10. [[Charles Haughey]]
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|11 Dec 1979 - 20 Jun 1981
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|Dublin
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|Colley
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|-
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|11. [[Garret FitzGerald]]
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|20 Jun 1981 - 9 Mar 1982
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|Dublin
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|Fine Gael
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|O'Leary
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|-
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|12. [[Charles Haughey]]
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|9 Mar 1982 - 14 Dec 1982
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|Dublin
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|McSharry
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|-
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|13. [[Garret FitzGerald]]
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|14 Dec 1982 - 10 Mar 1987
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|Dublin
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|Fine Gael
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|Spring (1982 - 1987); Barry (1987)
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|-
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|14. [[Charles Haughey]]
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|10 Mar 1987 - 11 Feb 1992
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|Dublin
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|Lenihan (1987 - 1990); Wilson (1990 - 1992)
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|-
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|15. [[Albert Reynolds]]
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|11 Feb 1992 - 15 Dec 1994
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|Dublin
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|Wilson (1992 - 1993); Spring (1993 - 1994)
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|-
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|16. [[John Bruton]]
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|15 Dec 1994 - 26 Jun 1997
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|Dublin
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|Fine Gael
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|Spring
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|-
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|17. [[Bertie Ahern]]
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|26 Jun 1997 - 7 May 2008
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|Dublin
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|Harney (1997 - 2006); McDowell (2006 - 2007); Cowen (2007 - 2008)
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|-
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|18. [[Brian Cowen]]
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|7 May 2008 -
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|Offaly
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|Fíanna Fáil
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|Coughlan
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}
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Now the official title of the head of government in [[Ireland]]. Under the Gaelic system of rule in ancient Ireland, the taoiseach was the head of each land-owning Clan (extended family) chosen to lead for his lifetime. Clans were in turn nominally subject to regional Kings - the four modern provinces of Ireland (Munster, Leinster, Connacht, and Ulster) are roughly analogous to the four Kingdoms of the same names. All were in turn nominally subject to the High King of All Ireland, who traditionally resided at the Hill of Tara in County Meath, about 100km north of Dublin.
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'''Tánaiste ''[TAWN-ish-te]'''''
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Now the official title of the deputy head of government. Under the system described above, a tánaiste was chosen to act as deputy and 'emergency replacement' to the new taoiseach. The position of tánaiste often went to the representative of the next most powerful faction within the clan to minimize disputes and ill-feeling over failing to secure the position of taoiseach.
      
[[Category:Ireland]]
 
[[Category:Ireland]]
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