John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston, MA; National Archives Records Administration
His Excellency Eamon de Valera
President of Ireland 1959-1973, Irish, 1882-1975
De Valera was born in New York City, and educated at Royal University, Dublin. During his early life he was a student and teacher of mathematics in Ireland. He soon became well known as an activist for Irish independence from the United Kingdom. In 1919, when Sinn Fein members of the British Parliament resigned to form their own parliament in Ireland, the Dáil Éireann, de Valera became president of the new government. De Valera led the opposition in the Dáil to the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which established the Irish Free State as a dominion within the Commonwealth of Nations.In 1932 Fianna Fáil won control of the government and de Valera served as president of the executive council (prime minister) of the Irish Free State from 1932 to 1937. During this time he withheld payment of land annuities owed to the United Kingdom and abolished the oath of loyalty to the British crown. He was reelected prime minister under the new constitution of 1937, which changed the country’s name to Eire (Gaelic for “Ireland”) and cut most ties to the Commonwealth. De Valera’s policies in Ireland were consistently characterized by cultural nationalism, economic protectionism, and isolationism. During World War II (1939-1945) he successfully advocated a policy of strict neutrality for Ireland and refused to let British forces use Irish naval bases. Fianna Fáil was turned out of power in 1948 and de Valera lost the post of prime minister, but he occupied the position twice again until 1959, when he was elected president of Ireland. He was reelected president in 1966. In 1973 de Valera retired from public life at the age of 91.