The Chief Secretary's Lodge, known since the 1970s as Deerfield, is the official residence of the United States Ambassador to Ireland. The Lodge is an 18th century building in the centre of the Phoenix Park in Dublin. It was originally built by Sir John Blaquiere, 1st Baron de Blaquiere then Chief Secretary for Ireland and taken over to become the Chief Secretary's Dublin residence in the late 18th century. Until the abolition of the post in 1922 it served as the official residence in Dublin of the Chief Secretary, the second-in-command in the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland's administration. The Chief Secretary played a role akin to a prime minister in the administration. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Deer grazing near the Papal Cross in the Phoenix Park Phoenix Park (in Irish, Páirc an Fhionn-Uisce) is a large park located 3 km to the north west of Dublin city centre in Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ... John Blaquiere, 1st Baron de Blaquiere, KCB, PC (15 May 1732 – 27 August 1812) was a British soldier and politician of French descent. ... The Chief Secretary was the most important position for determining British policy in Ireland after the Lord Lieutenant, and was frequently a cabinet level position in the 19th and early twentieth centuries. ... Official standard of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (plural: Lords Lieutenant), also known as the Judiciar in the early mediaeval period and as the Lord Deputy as late as the 17th century, was the Kings representative and head of the Irish executive during the... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ...

Following the establishment of the Irish Free State a number of possible uses for the empty residences in the Phoenix Park were considered, from sale or demolition to turning the Chief Secretary's Lodge into a residence for the President of the Executive Council (prime minister). The latter suggestion, by the Minister for Finance, Ernest Blythe was rejected by then president W.T. Cosgrave.^[1] In the mid 1920s plans were made to move the Governor-General of the Irish Free State, Timothy Michael Healy, from his large and costly Viceregal Lodge official residence to the smaller Chief Secretary's Lodge across the road.^[2] Healy however expressed a wish that, if he was to move at all, it should be to his private home in Chapelizod. Believing that Healy's home was too exposed and a security risk, the Executive Council of the Irish Free State (cabinet) chose to leave Healy in the Viceregal Lodge. Instead the Chief Secretary's Lodge was rented on a ten year lease to the United States government, to become a combined ambassador's residence and embassy. Territory of the Irish Free State Capital Dublin Language(s) Irish, English Government Constitutional monarchy Monarch  - 1922–1936 George V  - 1936–1936 George VI President of the Executive Council  - 1922–1932 W.T. Cosgrave  - 1932–1937 Eamon de Valera Legislature Oireachtas  - Upper house Seanad Éireann  - Lower house Dáil Éireann... The President of the Executive Council (Irish: Uachtaráin na hArd-Chomhairle) was the head of government or prime minister of the 1922-1937 Irish Free State, and the leader of the Executive Council (cabinet). ... Ernest Blythe (Ir: Earnán de Blaghd) (April 13, 1889–February 23, 1975), Irish politician. ... William Thomas Cosgrave (Irish name Liam Tomás Mac Cosgair; 6 June 1880 – 16 November 1965), known generally as W.T. Cosgrave, was an Irish politician who succeeded Michael Collins as Chairman of the Irish Provisional Government from August to December 1922. ... The Governor-General (Irish: Seanascal) was the representative of the King in the 1922–1937 Irish Free State. ... Timothy Michael Healy Timothy Michael Healy, KC (May 17, 1855–March 26, 1931) was one of the most brilliant and most controversial of Irish politicians, with a career that spanned the period from Charles Stewart Parnells leadership of the Irish Parliamentary Party in the 1880s to the foundation of... Áras an Uachtaráin is the official residence of the President of Ireland, located in the Phoenix Park on the Northside of Dublin1. ... Chapelizod is Ireland oldest villege. ... The Executive Council (Irish: Ard-Chomhairle) was the cabinet and de facto executive branch of government of the 1922-1937 Irish Free State. ...

In January 1938, with the American lease nearly up, the Irish Government decided to make the Chief Secretary's Lodge the official residence of the President of Ireland.^[3] The decision was rescinded when a report from the Office of Public Works advised the Taoiseach, Éamon de Valera that the building was structurally unsound and would need expensive remedial work of the sort that could not be completed in time for the planned presidential entry into office in June.^[4] The President was later installed in the vacant Viceregal Lodge nearby. The building was re-rented to the United States government. The embassy was later moved to a purpose-built building, leaving the Lodge as the Ambassador's residence. Official Seal of the President of Ireland Mary McAleese, the current President of Ireland. ... The Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for Irish Government and historic buildings in the Republic of Ireland. ... The Taoiseach (IPA: or ) — plural: Taoisigh ( or ), also referred to as An Taoiseach[1], is the head of government of Ireland or prime minister. ... Éamon de Valera (born with the name Edward George de Valera,IPA: [1][2]) (14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was one of the dominant political figures in 20th century Ireland. ... Áras an Uachtaráin is the official residence of the President of Ireland, located in the Phoenix Park on the Northside of Dublin1. ...

In the 1970s the building was given the name Deerfield by the wife of the then United States ambassador on account of the number of deer who roam in the open parkland around the mansion. “Fawn” redirects here. ...

It has been periodically suggested that the building should become the residence of the Taoiseach. It remains for the moment, however, the residence of the US Ambassador. Presidents John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton all stayed there during Irish visits. President Ronald Reagan stayed elsewhere. The Taoiseach (IPA: or ) — plural: Taoisigh ( or ), also referred to as An Taoiseach[1], is the head of government of Ireland or prime minister. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981 – 1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967 – 1975). ...

In 2005 the idea of turning the Chief Secretary's Lodge into a taoiseach's residence seemed to have been abandoned when the Office of Public Works instead applied for planning permission to turn the former ranger's residence in the grounds of the state guest palace, Farmleigh, into a small taoiseach's residence instead. Farmleigh was formerly one of the Dublin residences of the Guinness brewing family. ...

Footnotes

1. ^ Dáil Éireann, Vol 8 Col 68 Committee on Finance 27 June 1924
2. ^ Committee on Finance. Governor-General's Establishment. 11 June 1926
3. ^ Report of President Clinton's visit to Ireland
4. ^ National Archives of Ireland.

External links

• History of the Phoenix Park and its residence
• Description of living in the Chief Secretary's Lodge in the 1850s

Coordinates: 53.358233° N 6.333382° W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...