Republic of Ireland Act
The Republic of Ireland Act, 1948, which came into force on 18 April 1949, was remarkable in that it purported to reform the state into a republic without making any change to the Constitution, the ambiguous provisions of which remained unaltered. The Republic of Ireland Act contained three major provisions; it declared that:
- The External Relations Act was repealed.
- The state was a republic.
- The external relations of the state would henceforth be exercised by the president.
The Act also had the effect of automatically terminating the state's membership of the Commonwealth. The fact that he was now clearly and unambiguously the Irish head of state was celebrated by President Seán T. O'Kelly by visits to the Holy See and France. A visit to meet George VI in Buckingham Palace was also provisionally planned, but timetabling problems with the President's schedule prevented the meeting.
In 1953 the title of the monarch within the United Kingdom and its dependent territories was changed from " of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas..." to " of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories...".
Read more about this topic: Irish Head Of State From 1936 To 1949
Famous quotes containing the words republic of, republic, ireland and/or act:
“The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight.”
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919)
“It is the manners and spirit of a people which preserves a republic in vigour. A degeneracy in these is a canker which soon eats to the heart of its laws and constitution.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“No people can more exactly interpret the inmost meaning of the present situation in Ireland than the American Negro. The scheme is simple. You knock a man down and then have him arrested for assault. You kill a man and then hang the corpse.”
—W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt)
“But the whim we have of happiness is somewhat thus. By certain valuations, and averages, of our own striking, we come upon some sort of average terrestrial lot; this we fancy belongs to us by nature, and of indefeasible rights. It is simple payment of our wages, of our deserts; requires neither thanks nor complaint.... Foolish soul! What act of legislature was there that thou shouldst be happy? A little while ago thou hadst no right to be at all.”
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881)