Oath of Allegiance (Ireland)

The Irish Oath of Allegiance was a controversial provision in the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which Irish TDs (members of the Lower House of the Irish Parliament) and Senators were required to take, to take their seats in Dáil Éireann (Chamber of Deputies) and Seanad Éireann (Irish Senate) before the 'Constitution (Removal of Oath) Act, 1933' was passed on 3 May 1933. The controversy surrounding the Oath was one of the principal issues that led to the Irish Civil War of 1922–23 between supporters and opponents of the Treaty.

Text of the Oath

The Oath was included in Article 17 of the Irish Free State's 1922 Constitution. It read: "I (name) do solemnly swear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the Irish Free State as by law established, and that I will be faithful to H.M. King George V, his heirs and successors by law in virtue of the common citizenship of Ireland with Great Britain and her adherence to and membership of the group of nations forming the British Commonwealth of Nations."

Oath of allegiance

An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges a duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to monarch or country. In republics, modern oaths specify allegiance to the country in general, or to the country's constitution. For example, officials in the United States, a republic, take an oath of office that includes swearing allegiance to the United States Constitution. However, in a constitutional monarchy, such as in the United Kingdom, Australia and other Commonwealth realms, oaths are sworn to the monarch.

In feudal times a person would also swear allegiance to his feudal superiors. To this day the oath sworn by freemen of the City of London contains an oath of obedience to the Lord Mayor of the City of London.

Oaths of allegiance are commonly required of newly naturalised citizens (see Oath of Citizenship), members of the armed forces, and those assuming public (particularly parliamentary and judicial) office. Clergy in the Church of England are required to take an Oath of Supremacy acknowledging the authority of the British monarch.

Oath of Allegiance (United Kingdom)

The Oath of Allegiance (Judicial or Official Oath) is a promise to be loyal to the British monarch, and their heirs and successors, sworn by certain public servants in the United Kingdom, and also by newly naturalised subjects in citizenship ceremonies.

The Oaths Act 1888 (51 & 52 Vict. c.46) set out provisions whereby the oath may be solemnly affirmed rather than sworn to God. The Act was consolidated and repealed by the Oaths Act 1978.

The current oath of allegiance is set out from the Promissory Oaths Act 1868 in the following form:

The Victorian promissory oaths of allegiances, are set out in the Promissory Oaths Act 1868 in the following form:

Oaths to heirs and successors

In general, this oath is sworn to the crown, monarch, sovereign, or regent, as represented by the incumbent king or queen, currently Elizabeth II. This oath also specifies that this same oath to the Queen, is equally sworn to her (plural) "heirs and successors," rather than the (singular) heir and successor, or even, heir and/or successor. This (plural) anomaly indicates that any oath given to the Queen is equally given to all of her heirs, i.e., her/their children, and her/their grandchildren, and equally to all successors to the British throne, currently listed in the line of succession to the British throne, in the event that any one of them should accede to the throne.

Oath of Allegiance (Sweden)

The Oath of Allegiance of Sweden (in Swedish called Tro- och huldhetsed which literally translates to Fidelity and Allegiance Oath) was an oath of allegiance to the King of Sweden that had to be taken by all senior public officeholders in Sweden before assuming office. It was abolished when the present-day Instrument of Government came into force on 1 January 1975.

The oath was as follows:

Jag N. N. lovar och svär, vid Gud och Hans Heliga Evangelium, att jag städse skall vara min rätte Konung, den Stormäktigste Furste och Herre, N. N., Sveriges, Götes och Vendes Konung, samt det Kungl. Huset huld och trogen. Jag skall ock med liv och blod försvara det Konungsliga väldet samt Riksdagens rättigheter; allt i överensstämmelse med Rikets Grundlagar, dem jag till alla delar skall lyda och efterkomma. Detta lovar jag på heder och samvete hålla, så sant mig Gud hjälpe till liv och själ.

This in translation becomes;

I N. N. [do] promise and swear, by God and His Holy Gospels, that I always shall be my rightful King, the Mighty Prince and Lord, N. N., King of the Swedes, the Goths and the Wends, and the Royal House true and faithful. I shall also with my life and blood defend the Royal form of government and the rights of the Riksdag; all in accordance with the fundamental laws of the Realm, which I in all [their] parts shall obey and follow. This I pledge on my honor and conscience to deliver, so truly help me God to life and spirit.

Ireland

Ireland (ⁱ/ˈaɪərlənd/; Irish: Éire [ˈeːɾʲə]; Ulster-Scots: Airlann [ˈɑːrlən]) is an island in the North Atlantic. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles, the third-largest in Europe, and the twentieth-largest on Earth.

Politically, Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially named Ireland), which covers five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and located in the northeast of the island. In 2011 the population of Ireland was about 6.4 million, ranking it the second-most populous island in Europe after Great Britain. Just under 4.6 million live in the Republic of Ireland and just over 1.8 million live in Northern Ireland.

The island's geography comprises relatively low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain, with several navigable rivers extending inland. The island has lush vegetation, a product of its mild but changeable climate which avoids extremes in temperature. Thick woodlands covered the island until the Middle Ages. As of 2013, the amount of land that is wooded in Ireland is about 11% of the total, compared with a European average of 35%. There are 26 extant mammal species native to Ireland. The Irish climate is very moderated and classified as oceanic. As a result, winters are milder than expected for such a northerly area. However, summers are cooler than those in Continental Europe. Rainfall and cloud cover are abundant.

Ireland (disambiguation)

Ireland usually refers to:

Ireland may also refer to:

Former political arrangements of Ireland

Ireland, Bedfordshire

Coordinates: 52°03′36″N 0°20′54″W / 52.06002°N 0.34836°W / 52.06002; -0.34836

Ireland is a hamlet in the civil parish of Southill, Bedfordshire, England.

External links

Media related to Ireland, Bedfordshire at Wikimedia Commons