Historical names Names of the Irish state

1 historical names

1.1 ancient
1.2 pre-1919
1.3 irish republic (1919–22)
1.4 southern ireland (1921–22)
1.5 irish free state (1922–37)
1.6 Éire (irish language name since 1937)

historical names
ancient

the annals of 4 masters describes how ireland referred in ancient times

during time of partholonians, nemedians, fomorians, , firbolg, island given number of names:

inis ealga signifying noble or excellent island. latin translation insula nobilis
fiodh-inis signifying woody island. in latin insula nemorosa
crioch fuinidh signifying final or remote country. in latin terra finalia.


inisfail meaning island of destiny, , inisfalia or insula fatalis in latin. name used tuatha dé danann , fál became ancient name ireland. in respect, therefore, lia fáil, stone of destiny, came mean stone of ireland . inisfail appears synonym erin in irish romantic , nationalist poetry in english in nineteenth , twentieth centuries; aubrey thomas de vere s 1863 poem inisfail example.
Ériu (from derived Éire), banba , fódla names given dananns 3 of queens.
ierne refers ireland various ancient greek writers , many scholars have opinion in poem when argonauts passes neson iernida, is, island iernis, referring island of ireland, referring ireland longer ago 1000 bc.
insula sacra or sacred isle how several roman writers referred island on account of being celebrated seat of druidism.
ogygia meaning ancient land name used plutarch in first century may refer ireland.
hibernia first used refer ireland julius caesar in account of britain, , became common term used romans. used number of other terms, namely juverna, juvernia, ouvernia, ibernia, ierna, vernia. ptolemy refers iouernia or ivernia.
scotia or land of scots term used various roman , other latin writers, referred irish raiders scoti. of earliest mentions in 5th century, st. patrick calls irish scoti , , in 6th century, st. isidore bishop of seville , gildas british historian both refer ireland scotia. term exclusively referred ireland until eleventh century when modern scotland first referred scotia. until sixteenth century, many latin writers continued refer ireland scotia. twelfth sixteenth century, various scholars used distinguish between ireland , scotland using scotia vetus or scotia major meaning old scotia or greater scotia ireland, , scotia minor or lesser scotia scotland.
insula sanctorum or island of saints , insula doctorum or island of learned names used various latin writers; hence modern-day quasi-poetic description of island island of saints , scholars .

pre-1919

following norman invasion, ireland known dominus hiberniae, lordship of ireland 1171 1541, , kingdom of ireland 1541 1800. 1801 1922 part of united kingdom of great britain , ireland.

irish republic (1919–22)

in english, revolutionary state proclaimed in 1916 , ratified in 1919 known irish republic or, occasionally, republic of ireland. 2 different irish language names used: poblacht na hÉireann , saorstát Éireann, based on 2 competing irish translations of word republic: poblacht , saorstát. poblacht direct translation coming irish pobal, cognate latin populus. saorstát, on other hand, compound of words: saor (meaning free ) , stát ( state ).

in memoires, thomas jones, prime minister lloyd george s deputy cabinet secretary recalls exchange on 14 july 1921 between president of dáil Éireann, de valera , prime minister lloyd george concerning name of irish republic in irish:

...mr. de valera...handed mr. lloyd george document in irish, , translation in english. irish document headed saorstat eireann , mr. lloyd george began asking modestly literal translation, saying saorstat did not strike ear irish. mr. de valera replied free state . yes, retorted mr. lloyd george, irish word republic . while mr. de valera , colleague pondering in english on reply should make mr. lloyd george conversed aloud in welsh 1 of secretaries (t.j.) discomfiture of 2 irishmen , mr. de valera no further saorstat , free state mr. lloyd george remarked must not admit celts never republicans , have no native word such idea

the term poblacht na hÉireann 1 used in easter proclamation of 1916. declaration of independence , other documents adopted in 1919 eschew title in favour of saorstát Éireann. slight variant of title, saorstát na hÉireann, used in later days latin respublica hibernica.

(for explanation continuing usage of term irish republic in united kingdom, see name dispute uk (below). republicans continue use term because refuse recognise anglo-irish treaty – see below).

southern ireland (1921–22)

southern ireland (irish: deisceart Éireann) official name given autonomous home rule region (or constituent country) of united kingdom. established under government of ireland act 1920 on 3 may 1921. covered same territory present day irish state.

however, political turmoil , ongoing war of independence meant never functioned envisaged. southern ireland superseded in law on 6 december 1922 establishment of irish free state. term southern ireland not have official status today. however, used colloquially particularly in united kingdom.

irish free state (1922–37)

during negotiations on secession leading anglo-irish treaty, irish politicians wanted state republic, , name republic of ireland or irish republic. british government refused contemplate republic because have entailed irish state severing link british crown , ceasing part of british empire. instead, parties agreed state self-governing dominion within british commonwealth of nations. self-proclaimed irish republic had used saorstát Éireann irish name, , irish free state derived literal translation of saorstát Éireann english. article 1 of treaty stated:

ireland shall have same constitutional status ... dominion of canada ... , shall styled , known irish free state.

the may 1922 draft of constitution of irish free state used irish forms of many names , titles, on british insistence these replaced english equivalents; 1 exception references saorstát Éireann amended irish free state (saorstát Éireann) . after establishment of free state irish government used name saorstát Éireann in documents in english irish; exception postage stamps of period used Éire. because irish free state not republic, since 1922 word saorstát has fallen out of use in irish translation of republic. when legal description of state declared republic of ireland in 1949, official irish description became not saorstát Éireann poblacht na hÉireann. appears irish free state name not popular, times reporting on irish general election in 1932:

the official parties in ireland - free state not popular designation on there, other is, after all, older name...

Éire (irish language name since 1937)

as mentioned above, article 4 of constitution of ireland, gives state 2 official names, Éire in irish , ireland in english. each name direct translation of other. 1937, name Éire used in english language.

in may 1937, when president of executive council, Éamon de valera presented first draft of constitution parliamentary committee on constitution, article 4 provided: name of state Éire . there no reference ireland @ all. opposition politicians proposed word ireland substituted word Éire throughout english text. argued ireland name known every european country; name should not surrendered; name ireland might instead adopted northern ireland; , choice of Éire might damage status of state internationally drawing distinction between state...and has been known centuries ireland . responding, de valera stressed irish text of constitution foundation text. in light of this, said name Éire more logical , mean irish name become accepted in english language. however, said had no strong views , agreed in english translation name of state [would be] ireland .

when de valera subsequently tabled amendment give effect concession, proposed article 4 s current wording: name of state Éire, or, in english language, ireland. in doing so, remarked irish text fundamental text [it well] Éire used here , there. no debate, wording agreed , subsequently became law of land.

it said de valera wished reserve names republic of ireland or irish republic day when united ireland might achieved. these names not discussed in parliamentary debates on constitution. however, reason de valera gave in debates omitting reference word republic throughout constitution thought constitution gain broader support if did not refer republic.

after adoption of constitution, de valera s government encouraged use of name Éire (rather ireland) not always. government appreciated significance of name ireland. example, when irish ambassador in berlin, charles bewley sought instructions concerning new name of state, advised joseph p. walshe, decades top civil servant in irish department of external affairs that:

when informing german government of change of name of state, should not emphasise irish form. change of name not, of course, have same political or national significance if Éire used foreigners. aware, hope of in country use of ireland describe twenty-six counties have definite psychological effect in favour of unity of country on both irish , foreign minds.

ireland uses Éire country name on current postage stamps.

thus, while encouraging use of name Éire in english, de valera s government insisted @ other times on use of name ireland. united kingdom disputed irish adoption of name ireland (below). de valera s decision use name Éire severely criticised poor choice of name. argued confusing. others said name Éire might strengthen claim of government of northern ireland ancient name of ulster state. however, name Éire (generally appearing eire in english) became accepted in english. nevertheless, fuelled more criticism of name, once free in english language, evolved – leading opposition politicians stated sneering titles such eirish . these criticisms aired @ length in oireachtas when republic of ireland act being debated. de valera s use of name Éire wording of article 4 sharply criticised. taoiseach of day, john a. costello said tremendous confusion ha[d] been caused use of word Éire in article 4. misuse malicious people of word, Éire, have identified twenty-six counties , not state set under constitution of 1937. despite these criticisms, de valera called proposed irish description of state, poblacht na h-Éireann inserted english text of act in same way both irish , english names of state used in article 4. however, de valera subsequently retreated position , in may seen implicit acceptance of criticisms made of wording of article 4 itself, de valera accepted better not use irish description in english text. despite not changing name, when republic of ireland act passed, name Éire fell disuse (except in irish language). name continues linger on, particularly in united kingdom. constitution review group s 1967 report discusses article 4:

throughout years since 1937 term Éire has been misused in english name of state. use can point article justification, arguing word or in english text of article indicates ireland merely alternative english form of name. there is, perhaps, @ least ambiguity in article provides colourable pretext misuse. in light of past experience feel opportunity might taken remove difficulty declaring in irish text Éire ainm don stát , in english text name of state ireland . there seem no objection simplification since both texts of equal validity (except in case of conflict), , word ireland english equivalent of irish word Éire .

historically, eire commonly used state-name variety of organisations. example, in 1938, irish amateur athletic union (iaau) changed name amateur athletic union of eire (aaue) , affiliated international amateur athletic federation (iaaf) under country name eire . in 1967, aaue merged of rival naca form bord lúthchleas na hÉireann (blÉ). blÉ requested iaaf change country s name ireland . happened in 1981.