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Chief Secretary for Ireland facts for kids

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Not to be confused with Secretary of State (Ireland).
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Chief Secretary for Ireland
Arms of Ireland (historical).svg
Arms of the Kingdom of Ireland
Style The Right Honourable
as a member of the Privy Council
Residence Chief Secretary's Lodge (from 1776)
Appointer The Lord Lieutenant
Term length At the pleasure of the Lord Lieutenant
Inaugural holder Edward Waterhouse
Formation 20 January 1566
Final holder Sir Hamar Greenwood
Abolished 19 October 1922
Chiefsecoffice
The Chief Secretary's office in Dublin Castle.
The Chief Secretary's home was the Chief Secretary's Lodge in Phoenix Park, next to the Viceregal Lodge.

The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a very important political job in the British government that ruled Ireland for many years. This person worked for the Lord Lieutenant, who was like the King or Queen's representative in Ireland. But over time, the Chief Secretary became the main government leader for Ireland.

This role was similar to a Secretary of State in the UK today. Often, the Chief Secretary, not the Lord Lieutenant, was part of the main British government group called the Cabinet. The Chief Secretary also led the Local Government Board for Ireland from 1872.

British rule in most of Ireland ended after the Irish War of Independence. This led to the creation of the Irish Free State. Because of this, the job of Chief Secretary was stopped in 1922. The Lord Lieutenant's job also ended. New leaders took over in the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland.

What was the Chief Secretary's job?

For a long time, the British government in Ireland was mainly run from Dublin Castle. The Lord Lieutenant was the most powerful person there. But the Chief Secretary's role grew bigger and bigger.

The Chief Secretary was in charge of managing laws and government business. They worked to make sure new laws passed in the Parliament of Ireland. Even though the Irish parliament didn't fully control the government, the Chief Secretary had to work with its members.

How did the job change over time?

Chief Secretary's Lodge now Deerfield, Phoenix Park, Dublin. - Flickr - National Library of Ireland on The Commons
The Chief Secretary's Lodge in Phoenix Park. Today, it's called Deerfield Residence and is where the U.S. Ambassador lives.

In 1560, Queen Elizabeth I wanted a "Secretary" for Ireland. This was to help with running the country and to keep an eye on the Lord Lieutenant. At first, the "Secretary of State for Ireland" and "Chief Secretary" were different jobs. But in 1796, Thomas Pelham was the first person to hold both jobs at the same time.

The Chief Secretary became more important, especially because they managed laws in the Irish House of Commons. They were often a Member of Parliament themselves. This helped them guide new laws through the Irish parliament.

A Chief Secretary named Viscount Castlereagh played a big part in the Act of Union. This law joined the Kingdom of Ireland with Great Britain in 1801. After this, the Irish parliament no longer existed. However, the jobs of Lord Lieutenant and Chief Secretary continued.

The last Chief Secretary who was also an Irish Member of Parliament was Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue. He served from 1868 to 1871.

When did the job end?

The last Chief Secretary was Sir Hamar Greenwood. He left office in October 1922. Soon after, on December 6, 1922, the Irish Free State became independent. This covered most of Ireland.

In Northern Ireland, a new government was set up with its own Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Later, in 1972, the job of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was created. This new role became part of the British Cabinet.

List of Chief Secretaries

The first Chief Secretary was Edward Waterhouse, who started in 1566. The last person to hold the job was Sir Hamar Greenwood, who left office in 1922. Many people held this important position over the centuries.

Images for kids

See also

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