Fianna Fáil Taoisigh

Eamon de Valera

The Fianna Fáil Party evolved from Ireland’s struggle for independence. Eamon de Valera founded Fianna Fáil on 23 March 1926. The Party’s name, Fianna Fáil - the Republican Party, was adopted on 2nd April 1926.

Born in 1882 in New York, but brought up in Limerick, Eamon de Valera studied mathematics at the Royal University. In 1908 he joined the Gaelic League and remained dedicated to the Irish language...Read More.

Seán Lemass

Seán Lemass was an exceptionally able and dedicated politician who was a dynamic patriot of great force and a political giant of 20th century Irish history. The Irish Times editorial upon his death in 1971 described him as a "supreme pragmatist".

Born in Dublin in 1899, at fifteen years of age Lemass joined the Volunteers. He fought in the GPO in the Easter Rising of 1916 and was in the Irish Republican Army during the War of Independence...Read More.

 
Jack Lynch

Jack Lynch became leader of Fianna Fáil in November 1966 on the resignation of Seán Lemass. Born in Cork city in 1917, Lynch was a civil servant in the Department of Justice before he was called to the Bar. He became a practicing barrister on the Cork circuit. However, he was famous as a sportsman in the GAA long before he came to political prominence - Lynch won six All-Ireland medals in succession; five in hurling and one in football, with his native county...Read More.

Charles Haughey

Charles Haughey became leader of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach in late 1979. A son-in-law of former Taoiseach Seán Lemass, Charles Haughey was appointed Parliamentary Secretary in Justice, 1960-61, Minister for Justice, 1961-64, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, 1964-66 and Minister for Finance, 1966-70...Read More.

Albert Reynolds

Albert Reynolds was born in Rooskey, County Roscommon in 1932. He was first elected to the Dáil for the constituency of Longford/Westmeath in 1977.

Without a doubt his greatest achievement was in Northern Ireland and Anglo-Irish relations, signing the Downing Street Declaration in 1993. It was Reynolds’ determination that gave impetus to the peace process and the establishment of an IRA ceasefire in 1994...Read More.

Bertie Ahern

Bertie Ahern became leader of Fianna Fáil in 1994. Born in 1951 in Dublin, both his parents were republican activists during the War of Independence in County Cork. He entered Dáil Éireann in 1977 for Dublin Finglas and soon became known as one of the hardest working constituency workers in the country.

Under Bertie Ahern’s leadership the Celtic Tiger came to fruition, a rapid and sustained period of economic growth with the best growth rates in the European Union, low inflation, low interest rates, record employment and inward investment...Read More.

  
Brian Cowen

Brian Cowen officially became leader of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach in May 2008. He was first elected as a TD in 1984.

Since 1992 when first appointed to a Ministry, Brian Cowen has developed and honed his managerial competence, leadership skills and effective decision making and judgement in various Departments...Read More.