Peerage of Ireland

The Peerage of Ireland is a 19th century creation, and is different from the more ancient native Gaelic peerage used by Irish aristocracy from before the arrival of Christianity. The Gaelic system is the longest continuous heraldic organization in Europe, despite English peerage efforts in the early modern period to confiscate Irish property -- efforts deemed to be illegal in Continental courts. The latter system consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their disputed claim as Lord or King of Ireland, or formerly by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and currently by the People of Ireland who do this through their Taoiseaċ & Dáil and are granted this right by the Uaċtaráin according to the Bunreaċt. The English ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount and Baron, whilst the Irish system uses Gaelic titles, in accordance with a genealogy of the Ard Rí (High King of Ireland) chronicled in numerous ancient manuscripts, including the Annals of the Four Masters. The Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland continues to exercise jurisdiction over its Peerage of Ireland, but not those peers whose titles derive from places located in what is now the Republic of Ireland. Importantly, Article 40.2 of the Irish Constitution forbids conference of titles of nobility by anyone but the Uaċtarán -- President of the Republic -- and a citizen may not accept titles of nobility or honour except with the prior approval of the Government. Gaelic titles of nobility, amongst the oldest in European history, remain the providence of individual clannaḋ or families. Efforts are underway to accord these native nobility systems more formal recognition according to the laws of the Cúirt Uaċtaraċ na hÉireann in friendly negotiation with English conventions, European law and global standards.

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