List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Ireland

The Ambassador from the United Kingdom to Ireland is the United Kingdom's foremost diplomatic representative in Ireland and is in charge of the UK's diplomatic mission in Ireland.

Official title

For several decades the British and Irish governments disputed the respective names of their States: the "United Kingdom of Great Britiain and Northern Ireland" and "Ireland" respectively. The UK's official policy was to refer to Ireland as the "Republic of Ireland" and consequently to style its Ambassador in Ireland as "Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland". However as part of the 1998 Belfast Agreement, the two Governments ended their dispute over names and the British Ambassador to Ireland has since been styled officially as "Her Majesty's Ambassador to Ireland." [Examples of official usage of current title: [http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029395231&a=Collection&aid=1013618515557 Foreign and Commonwealth Office] and [http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1182952078161 British Embassy Website] ]

List of Heads of Mission

The first British diplomatic representatives to Ireland did not have the title of "Ambassador", instead having the title of "Representative". In 1949, when the Oireachtas passed the Republic of Ireland Act and thereby left the British Commonwealth, the office was upgraded to "ambassador" status. [http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=36&si=1654108&issue_id=14357 The excellent honour of ambassador suits you, sir] ndash "Sunday Independent" newspaper article, 16 July 2006]

Representatives

*1939–1948: John Maffey
*1949–1950: Gilbert LaithwaiteAppointed as "Representative, Éire" in March 1949. A month later, this title was changed to "Representative, Republic of Ireland". In July 1950, he was named "Ambassador, Republic of Ireland".]

Ambassadors to Ireland

*1950–1951: Gilbert Laithwaite
*1951–1955: Walter Hankinson
*1955–1959: Alexander Clutterbuck
*1959–1964: Ian Maclennan
*1964–1967: Sir Geofroy Tory
*1967–1970: Andrew Gilchrist
*1970–1973: John Peck
*1973–1976: Arthur Galsworthy
*July 1976: Christopher Ewart-BiggsAssassinated by the Provisional IRA on 21 July 1976, 16 days after taking up his appointment]
*1976–1980: Walter Robert Haydon
*1980–1983: Leonard Figg
*1983–1986: Alan Goodison
*1986–1991: Nicholas Fenn
*1991–1995: Sir David Blatherwick
*1995–1999: Veronica Sutherland
*1999–2003: Sir Ivor Roberts
*2003–2006: Stewart Eldon CMG QBE
*2006–present: David Reddaway

External links

* [http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=36&si=1654262&issue_id=14357 Anglo-Irish role call] ndash list of ambassadors, from the "Sunday Independent" newspaper, 16 July 2006

Notes