Deerfield Residence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Deerfield Residence |
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Deerfield Residence
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| Former names | Chief Secretary's Lodge |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Location | Chesterfield Avenue, Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°21′29.5″N 6°19′59.3″W / 53.358194°N 6.333139°W |
| Current tenants | United States Ambassador to Ireland (since 1927) |
| Construction started | 1774 |
| Completed | 1776 |
| Owner | United States government (since 2013) |
The Deerfield Residence is the official home of the United States Ambassador to Ireland. It is located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland.
This large 18th-century building sits on 62 acres of private land. It is right across from Áras an Uachtaráin, which is the official home of the President of Ireland. The Deerfield Residence has been the Ambassador's official home since 1927. Before that, it was also used as the U.S. Embassy in Ireland.
Since 2022, Claire D. Cronin has been the U.S. ambassador to Ireland.
Contents
History of Deerfield Residence
What was the Chief Secretary's Lodge?
The Deerfield Residence was first built by Sir John Blaquiere in the late 1700s. He was the Chief Secretary for Ireland at the time. This job was like being the second-in-command, or even the main leader, of the government in Ireland.
The building became the Chief Secretary's official home in Dublin. It stayed that way until 1922. That's when the job of Chief Secretary ended. Winston Churchill, who later became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, even spent some of his childhood living in the Phoenix Park.
Becoming the U.S. Ambassador's Home
After Ireland became the Irish Free State, many old government buildings in Phoenix Park became empty. People thought about what to do with them. One idea was to sell the Chief Secretary's Lodge or even tear it down. Another idea was to make it the home for Ireland's new leader, the President of the Executive Council (like a Prime Minister).
In the 1920s, there was a plan to move the Governor-General of the Irish Free State, Timothy Michael Healy, to the Chief Secretary's Lodge. His current home, the Viceregal Lodge, was very big and expensive. But Healy wanted to move to his own private home instead. The government decided his private home wasn't safe enough. So, they kept him in the Viceregal Lodge.
Instead, the Chief Secretary's Lodge was rented to the United States government. This happened on February 19, 1927. It became both the ambassador's home and the U.S. Embassy.
In 1938, the U.S. lease was almost finished. The Irish Government thought about making the Lodge the official home for the President of Ireland. But a report said the building was not safe and needed a lot of expensive repairs. These repairs couldn't be done in time for the President to move in. So, the President moved into the empty Viceregal Lodge nearby. The Chief Secretary's Lodge was rented to the United States government again.
Later, the U.S. Embassy moved to a new building in Ballsbridge. This left the Lodge as only the Ambassador's residence.
Life at the U.S. Ambassador's Residence
In 1952, the U.S. government made many big improvements to the house and its land. In the 1970s, the wife of a U.S. ambassador gave the property its current name, Deerfield. She chose this name because many deer roam freely in the open parkland around the mansion.
The property is huge, with 62 acres of lawns, fruit trees, and gardens. It includes the Ambassador's main house, three smaller cottages, and a security building at the front gate.
Inside the main house, the lower floor has a large ballroom, a reception room for guests, a dining room, a library, and offices. There are also kitchens and staff rooms. Upstairs, there are six private suites, each with a bedroom, bathroom, and sitting room.
Outside, there are fun things to do like an American football field (used in certain seasons), a basketball court, and a tennis court.
For a while, some people thought the Deerfield Residence should become the home of the taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister). But in 2005, this idea was dropped. Instead, a smaller home for the taoiseach was planned at Farmleigh, another state property.
On April 5, 2013, the Irish government officially sold Deerfield House and one acre of land to the United States government. The U.S. government now owns this part permanently. The remaining 61 acres of land are still owned by the Irish government. The U.S. Department of State manages the grounds.
Many U.S. presidents have stayed at Deerfield when visiting Ireland. These include John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden. Other presidents, like Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, stayed elsewhere. This was usually for security reasons, because the property is so large.
Security at Deerfield is very important. The Irish national police, called the Garda Síochána, help protect the outside of the grounds. Inside, security is handled by the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service and the U.S. Marine Corps Embassy Security Group.
Who lived at Deerfield Residence?
United Kingdom Leaders
Many important people from the United Kingdom lived here when it was the Chief Secretary's Lodge. Some famous names include:
- Sir John Blaquiere
- Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
- Sir Robert Peel
- Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh
- James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce
- John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
- Lord Randolph Churchill
- Sir Winston Churchill
United States Ambassadors
Since 1927, every U.S. ambassador or envoy to Ireland has lived at Deerfield Residence. The first U.S. envoy to use the residence was W. W. McDowell.
See also
- Ireland–United States relations
- Embassy of Ireland in Washington, D.C.
- Winfield House (London)
