Áras an Uachtaráin

Áras an Uachtaráin, sometimes written Árus an Uachtaráin, formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence of the President of Ireland. It is located in the Phoenix Park on the Northside of Dublin.

Origins

The original house was designed by park ranger and amateur architect Nathaniel Clements, in the mid eighteenth century. It was bought by the administration of the British Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to become his summer residence in the 1780s. His official residence was in the Viceregal Apartments in Dublin Castle. The house in the park later became the Viceregal Lodge, the "out of season" residence of the Lord Lieutenant (also known as the Viceroy), where he lived for most of the year from the 1820s onwards. During the Social Season (January to St. Patrick's Day in March) he lived in state in Dublin Castle.

(Another former summer residence, Abbéville in Kinsealy, North Dublin, became well known as the home of former taoiseach Charles Haughey)

Phoenix Park once contained three official state residences. The Viceregal Lodge, the Chief Secretary's lodge and the Under Secretary's Lodge. The Chief Secretary's Lodge, now called Deerfield, is the residence of the United States Ambassador to Ireland and the Under Secretary's Lodge has served for many years as the Apostolic Nunciature.

Some historians have claimed that the garden front portico of Áras an Uachtaráin (which can be seen by the public from the main road through the Phoenix Park) was used as a model by the Irish architect who designed the White House. However the portico was built after he had left for the United States. (There is better evidence he used Leinster House as a model.)

Murder

In 1881, its grounds became the location for a famous murder. The Chief Secretary for Ireland (in effect Prime Minister in the British administration in Ireland), Lord Frederick Cavendish, and the Under Secretary (chief civil servant), T.H. Burke, were stabbed to death with surgical knives while walking back to the residence from Dublin Castle. A small insurgent group called the Invincibles was responsible for the deed. The Lord Lieutenant, the 5th Earl Spencer, heard their screams from a ground floor window in the drawing room (under the portico in the image opposite).

Residence of the Governor-General of the Irish Free State

In 1911, the house underwent a large extension for the visit of King George V and Queen Mary. With the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922, the office of Lord Lieutenant was abolished. The new state planned to place the new representative of the Crown, Governor-General Tim Healy in a new, smaller residence, but because of death threats from the anti-treaty IRA, he was installed in the Viceregal Lodge temporarily. It remained the residence of the Governor-General of the Irish Free State until 1932, when the new Governor-General, Domhnall Ua Buachalla, was installed in a specially hired private mansion in the southside of Dublin.

Residence of the President of Ireland

The house was left empty for some years, until the office of President of Ireland was created in 1937. In 1938, the first President, Douglas Hyde lived there temporarily while plans were made to build a new presidential palace on the grounds. The outbreak of World War II saved the building, which had been renamed Áras an Uachtaráin (meaning house of the president in Irish), from demolition, as plans for its demolition and the design of a new residence were put on hold. By 1945 it had become too closely identified with the presidency of Ireland to be demolished, though its poor condition meant that extensive demolition and rebuilding of parts of the building were necessary, notably the kitchens, servants' quarters and chapel.

Since then the house has undergone occasional bouts of restoration. The first President, Douglas Hyde lived in the residential quarters on the first floor of the main building. Later presidents moved to the new residential wing attached to the main house that had been built on for the visit of King George V in 1911. However, Mary Robinson in 1990 moved back to the older main building. The current occupant, Mary McAleese lives in the 1911 wing.

Though Áras an Uachtaráin is possibly not as palatial as other European royal and presidential palaces, with only a handful of state rooms (the state drawing room, large and small dining rooms, the President's Office and Library, a large ballroom and a presidential corridor lined with the busts of past presidents (Francini Corridor), and some fine eighteenth and nineteenth century bedrooms above, all in the main building), it is a relatively comfortable state residence, and to a size and aspect commensurate with the nation it represents.

Controversy at Áras an Uachtaráin

There have been many controversy’s at Áras an Uachtaráin. The most recent occurred when the Presidents Protocol officer Bridget Conway went to the High Court to seek an injunction restraining disciplinary proceedings been taken against her. She claims that following an embrace by President Mary McAleese following the Funerals of the Omagh bomb victims (Northern Irelands worst terrorist attack) senior officials in the Office of the President began to resent her and her close relationship with the President. As Protocol Officer she manages the Presidents diary and drafts speeches for the President. She has claimed that this resentment has lead to bogus disciplinary proceedings against her. On the 12th of April 2006 the High Court ruled that the application for an injunction by Bridget Conway was premature. However a full hearing of the case is set to be held at a later date. There has been considerable media interest in the case as it would expose the normally secretive workings of Áras an Uachtaráin and may in future even see the President of Ireland been called as a witness which would be totally unprecedented.

In 1990 only weeks after Presidents Mary Robinson took office she ordered that 8 house-keeping staff were to be redeployed. Three of the women were in their 60’s and seven of them were living in Áras an Uachtaráin and all had served under former President Hillary. New cleaning and catering staff were to be employed. The women pleaded for a 6 month trial period and they promised the change the antiquated practices at the Aras but Her Excellency refused and the women were out by the end of the month. However the OPW offered many of the women improved early retirement packages and the rest were redeployed.

The Ghost of Winston Churchill

There are stories of a small boy, allegedly a young Winston Churchill, running about the building. Churchill did grow up there as a child, where his grandfather, the Duke of Malborough, was Lord Lieutenant. It was supposed to be one of young Winston's favourite places.

Visitors

Various visiting British monarchs stayed at the Viceregal Lodge, notably Queen Victoria and George V. American Presidents hosted include Presidents John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, all of Irish descent. Other famous visitors to the Áras an Uachtaráin have been Princess Grace of Monaco and her husband, Prince Rainier III; King Baudouin of the Belgians; King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia; Pope John Paul II; Prince Charles, and Prince Philip.

Guests do not normally stay at the Áras. Although it has ninety-two rooms, many of these are used for storage of presidential files, for household staff and official staff, including military aides-de-camp, a Secretary to the President (somewhat equivalent to Chief of Staff in the White House, except it is a permanent civil service position) and a press office. The Irish state recently opened a guest palace nearby in Farmleigh, a former Guinness mansion.

On May 1st 2004, during Ireland's six-month presidency of the European Union, Áras an Uachtarain was the Venue for the European Day of Welcomes (Accession Day) in which ten new members joined the EU. All 25 heads of state attended the flag raising ceremony in the gardens of the palace. A large security operation involving the Gardai and the Irish Defence Forces closed off the Áras and the Phoenix Park.

Áras an Uachtaráin is now open for free tours every Saturday.

Footnotes

Áras an Uachtaráin is Irish Gaelic. It may be roughly pronounced Awr-as on Ookh-thar-awn, and translates simply to "Residence of the President".

External links

Buildings and structures in Dublin | Official residences in the Republic of Ireland | Royal residences | Visitor attractions in Dublin | Presidential palaces

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