Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
Éamon de Valera Alamy Stock Photo
Guest Quizmaster
Quiz: Who knows more about Éamon de Valera - you or history nerd David McCullagh?
David McCullagh has a new job: writing this quiz for The Journal!
DAVID MCCULLAGH IS keeping busy.
He’s been presenting the news. He’s been podcasting with Katie Hannon. He’s been making documentaries. Oh, and he’s been signed up to front one of the biggest radio shows in the country in case you haven’t heard.
But before he takes over Claire Byrne’s radio studio, his latest work on the most dominant figure of Irish politics will air on RTÉ television over the next two weeks.
McCullagh has authored a two-volume biography about the rise and rule of Éamon de Valera and, for the 50th anniversary of his death, he is re-examining the man on the small screen. Filmed in Ireland, the UK and US, the programme will trace de Valera’s life from the US to the Áras, via Limerick and Leinster House. .
A Loosehorse production, DEV: Rise + Rule will air on RTÉ One on Wednesday 3 and 10 September at 9.35pm
To add to his to-do list, we asked him to master our Sunday night quiz to see how our readers’ knowledge stacks up to his. Good luck!
Éamon de Valera was born on 14 October 1882 - but where?
Wikimedia
Bruree, Co Limerick
Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, New York
Greenville, Jersey City, New Jersey
Ennis, Co Clare
In 1896, de Valera started secondary school - but where?
Wikimedia
St Munchin’s College, Limerick
Blackrock College, Co Dublin
Charleville CBS, Co Cork
Bruree CBS, Co Limerick
In 1916, de Valera commanded the Third Battalion of the Dublin Brigade. But where was he based?
Alamy
The GPO
Boland's Bakery
Mount Street Bridge
Boland's Mills
After the Rising, de Valera was sentenced to death, which was commuted to life imprisonment. But how long of that sentence did he actually serve?
Alamy
7 months
11 months
17 months
22 months
In 1910, de Valera married Sinéad Ní Fhlannagáin. How many children did they have?
Wikimedia
5
6
7
8
In 1936, de Valera took his first flight in an aeroplane (in fact, the exact one pictured). But who was the pilot?
Wikimedia
Charles Lindbergh
Orville Wright
Captain James FitzMaurice
Major James Bigglesworth
De Valera suffered from serious eye problems for many years, which eventually left him almost totally blind. In the 1930s, he was treated by the renowned specialist Dr Alfred Vogt of Zurich (pictured). Vogt had another famous Irish patient - who was it?
Wikimedia
W.B. Yeats
W.T. Cosgrave
James Joyce
Sean T O’Kelly
In 1943, de Valera made a speech to mark the 50th anniversary of the Gaelic League. In the speech, he used a word to describe maidens. Did he say they were...
Alamy
Violent
Comely
Pretty
Happy
In 1966, de Valera was re-elected to the Presidency to serve a second term. But what was his margin of victory over Fine Gael's Tom O'Higgins (to the nearest 1,000). Was it...
Alamy
10,000
52,000
80,000
102,000
In 1973, de Valera retired from the Presidency. What age was he?
Alamy
88
90
92
94
You scored out of !
Sinéad De Valera
Sinéad didn't see much of her husband between 1917 and 1923.
You scored out of !
Michael Collins
You know thine enemy.
You scored out of !
Alan Rickman
You really took to the role.
RollingNews.ie
You scored out of !
David McCullagh
Are you the man himself?
You scored out of !
have your say