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Eamon de Valera Biography

Former President of Ireland

Former President of Ireland, politician, lawyer, and educator. Eamon de Valera played a key role in the Irish independence movement and served as Prime Minister of Ireland four times. He had a significant impact on Irish political and social life.

Years Bigs Industry Schemes Shannon

Author:Eamon de Valera

“Here, in Cork district, you have in combination all the dangers which war can inflict.”

War Danger Combination Cork

Author:Eamon de Valera

“It is indeed hard for the strong to be just to the weak, but acting justly always has its rewards.”

Hard Strong Justice Acting Politician Weak Rewards Being Strong Strong Man

Author:Eamon de Valera

“It is the duty of our men to enroll themselves in the national services. We need all our manpower for defence. For the military and... we need a quarter of a million men.”

Men Needs Millions Military Duty Quarters Defence Manpower National Service

Author:Eamon de Valera

“Since this war began our sympathy has gone out to all the suffering people who have been dragged into it. Further hundreds of millions have become involved since I spoke at Limerick fortnight ago.”

People Has Beens War Suffering Millions Gone Involved Spokes Sympathy Limerick Fortnight

Author:Eamon de Valera

“The economic and social problems would tend to become, like the military situation, more and more difficult as time went on and we became more and more isolated.”

Problem Social Difficult Situation Economic Military Isolated Social Problems

Author:Eamon de Valera

“Unemployment is due to the large import of goods from Britain and other countries. The Government haven't used the powers which they have for the benefit of the country.”

Country Government Used Havens Benefits Dues Britain Goods Other Countries Unemployment Imports

Author:Eamon de Valera

“We are fully aware that, in a world at war, each set of belligerents is over ready to regard those who are not with them as against them; but the course we have followed is a just course.”

World War Courses Ready Regard

Author:Eamon de Valera

“We cannot afford idleness, waste or inefficiency.”

Waste Idleness Inefficiency

Author:Eamon de Valera

“It is my considered opinion that in the fullness of time history will record the greatness of Michael Collins and it will be recorded at my expense.”

Opinion Records Greatness Expenses Fullness

Author:Eamon de Valera

“For Irishmen, there is no football game to match rugby and if all our young men played rugby not only would we beat England and Wales but France and the whole lot of them put together.”

Ifs Men Whole Together Young Games Football Beats England France Young Man Rugby Wales Football Game Irishmen

Author:Eamon de Valera

“Of course I wrote most of the Constitution myself. I remember hesitating for a long time over the US presidential system. But it wouldn't have done - we were too trained in English democracy to sit down under a dictatorship which is what the American system really is.”

Long Done Remember Courses Democracy Long Time Constitution Presidential Dictatorship Us Presidential

Author:Eamon de Valera

“Partition is after all only an old fortress of crumbled masonry - held together with the plaster of fiction.”

Together Fiction Fortresses Masonry Partition Plasters

Author:Eamon de Valera

“All history is man's efforts to realise ideals.”

Men Effort Ideals Realising

Author:Eamon de Valera

“Could he not find in his heart the generosity to acknowledge that there is a small nation that stood alone not for one year or two, but for several hundred years against aggression; that endured spoliations, famines, massacres in endless succession; that was clubbed many times into insensibility, but that each time on returning [to] consciousness took up the fight anew; a small nation that could never be got to accept defeat and has never surrendered her soul?”

“God has been pleased to save us during the years of war that have already passed. We pray that He may be pleased to save us to the end. But we must do our part.”

Years May Has Beens War Ends Sea Praying

Author:Eamon de Valera

“If there is to be any hope of prosperity for this country it is by reversing that policy which made us simply the kitchen garden for supplying the British with cheap food.”

Ifs Made Country Policy Garden Prosperity British Kitchen Cheap Food

Author:Eamon de Valera

“If war comes upon us, it will come as a thief in the night”

Ifs War Night Historical Thieves

Author:Eamon de Valera

“Mr. Churchill is proud of Britain's stand alone, after France had fallen and before America entered the War.”

War America Proud France Fallen Britain Stand Alone

Author:Eamon de Valera

“The part which American friendship played in helping us to win the freedom we enjoy in this part of Ireland has been gratefully recognized and acknowledged by our people.”

People Has Beens Helping Winning Enjoy Ireland Lost Friendship Lost Friend

Author:Eamon de Valera

“An independent Ireland would see its own independence in jeopardy the moment it saw the independence of Britain seriously threatened. Mutual self-interest would make the peoples of these two islands, if both independent, the closest possible allies in a moment of real national danger to either.”

Ifs Two Real Self Moments Interest History Saws Danger Independent Independence Islands Britain Mutual Allies Ireland Closest Threatened Self Interest Jeopardy

Author:Eamon de Valera

“If liberty is not entire it is not liberty.”

Ifs Liberty Republican

Author:Eamon de Valera

“I shall strive not to be guilty of adding any fuel to the flames of hatred and passion which, if continued to be fed, promise to burn up whatever is left by the war of decent human feeling in Europe.”

Ifs Humans War Feelings Passion Left Promise Europe Hatred Strive Guilty Flames Decent Fuel Feds

Author:Eamon de Valera

“When we have done our best, we can, as a united people, take whatever may befall with calm courage and confidence that this old nation will survive and if death should come to many of us, death is not the end.”

People Ifs Should May Ends Done Nations United Confidence Calm

Author:Eamon de Valera

“We hope that the plain people - the labourers and small farmers - will take this opportunity of coming together and working out the National programme.”

People Together Opportunity Work Out Farmers Programmes Coming Together Labourers

Author:Eamon de Valera

About the Author

Born: October 14, 1882
Died: August 29, 1975
Known for: Former President of Ireland
Quotes: 25

Books & Sources

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