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Arms of the Presidents of Ireland

Posted: 21 Sep 2012, 17:10
by Jonathan Webster
In line with earlier posts about the French and South African Presidents, I was quite surprised to find all the Presidents to date have registered or been granted arms from some heraldic authority.

The first president; Douglas Hyde, used the following arms: Gules, a chevron Argent and a Chevron Or.

President Sean O'Kelly bore arms featuring a Tower Argent between two Lions Argent combattant Argent, chained Or, on a field Azure.

President de Valera, rather than register arms with the Chief Herald of Ireland, registered arms with the Cronista Rey de Armas in Spain; based on a conjectured descent from a Spanish noble family: Quarterly 1 & 3, a Lion rampant Or, and 2&4, a Cross Or, of a type I am unsure how to blazon, all within a Bordure Gules charged with eight Saltires couped Or.

President Childers bore the arms: Argent, a Cross couped between four Buckles Gules.
President Cearbhall O'Dalaigh bore the arms: Per fess Argent and Vert, in chief a demi-Lion Sable, langued Gules between two hands caboshed Gules, in base the Scales of Justice Or.
President Hillery bore the arms: Tierced per fess Vert, Argent and Or, on the central fess a Lion passant Gules, in chief two leaves Vert, in base a leaf Vert.

I haven't yet got any information as regards the arms of the last three Presidents. The arms of the Presidents can be seen in I believe the Stairwell or lobby of Dublin Castle.

I haven't yet got any information as regards the arms on, McAleese or Higgins.

Re: Arms of the Presidents of Ireland

Posted: 21 Sep 2012, 19:54
by Arthur Radburn
Jonathan Webster wrote:I haven't yet got any information as regards the arms of the last three Presidents. The arms of the Presidents can be seen in I believe the Stairwell or lobby of Dublin Castle.

They can indeed. There are photos of the Hyde, O'Kelly, De Valera, Childers, O'Daley, Hillery, and Robinson arms here : http://www.flickr.com/photos/teh_bunneh/4656395302/

Re: Arms of the Presidents of Ireland

Posted: 22 Sep 2012, 12:53
by JMcMillan
Jonathan Webster wrote:President Hillery bore the arms: Tierced per fess Vert, Argent and Or, on the central fess a Lion passant Gules, in chief two leaves Vert, in base a leaf Vert.


According to a post by Sean Murphy in rec.heraldry, "Per fess vert and or, on a fess argent between three sprigs of medick counterchanged, a lion passant gules armed and langued azure." Medick is a specific species of clover, so these are heraldically trefoils; Hillery was a medical doctor.

I haven't yet got any information as regards the arms of the last three Presidents.


Mary Robinson: Argent a wildcat rampant guardant proper holding in its paws a roundel Or charged with a cross Gules, on a chief Azure a lymphad under sail oars in action Or between a dove's head erased holding in the beak a slip of oak and a stag's head erased Argent.
Image

Mary McAleese: Azure a fess embowed Or between a salmon naiant and a dexter hand couped proper holding a cross fitchy Argent.
Image

Michael Higgins: According to various rec.heraldry contributors, Irish presidents typically receive their grants of arms toward the end of their term of office.