Genealogical Office

The Genealogical Office is an office of the Government of Ireland responsible for the custody of genealogical records and the administration of heraldry in the State. It incorporates the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland, which is the recognised authority for heraldry in the Republic of Ireland and is empowered to grant and confirm coats of arms to Irish individuals, bodies, and those with qualifying connections to Ireland, including members of the Irish diaspora.

Historical Background

The Genealogical Office was formally constituted on 1 April 1943 as the successor to the Ulster King of Arms, an office established in 1552 during the Tudor administration of the Kingdom of Ireland. The Ulster King of Arms had exercised heraldic authority over the whole island of Ireland until the early twentieth century. Following the partition of Ireland, heraldic jurisdiction for Northern Ireland was transferred to the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, based in England, while the Irish Free State retained responsibility for heraldry within its own territory.
From its establishment in 1943, the Genealogical Office functioned as part of the Department of Education. It was originally located in Dublin Castle, reflecting the historic association of heraldic administration with the central organs of government. In 1981, the office left Dublin Castle, and in 1987 it relocated to Kildare Street, occupying part of the former Kildare Street Club premises adjacent to the National Library of Ireland (NLI). In 1997, the Genealogical Office was formally recognised as part of the National Library of Ireland, and in 2002 it was transferred from the Department of Education to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
Until its closure in 2007, the State Heraldic Museum was housed within the Genealogical Office, displaying original grants of arms and heraldic artefacts illustrating the development of Irish heraldry.

The Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland

The Chief Herald of Ireland is the State official responsible for matters of heraldry. Acting through the Genealogical Office, the Chief Herald authorises the granting and confirmation of coats of arms and maintains the Register of Arms, which is a public record. Grants of arms are issued by letters patent on vellum and include a hand-painted exemplification of the arms.
In November 1945, the Chief Herald granted the coat of arms of Ireland to the State itself. At the request of the Irish Government, grants of arms were also made to notable foreign figures, including President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and President Bill Clinton in 1995, reflecting Ireland’s tradition of extending heraldic recognition to individuals with significant Irish connections.
As of 2025, the website of the Office of the Chief Herald indicates that the office is not accepting new applications for grants or confirmations of arms and is not in a position to respond to general heraldic enquiries.

Jurisdiction and Eligibility

The tradition of individuals of Irish descent seeking grants of arms from the Chief Herald continues into the modern period. The Genealogical Office has accepted petitions for grants of arms from the following categories:

• Citizens of Ireland or persons entitled to Irish citizenship
• Residents of the State for at least five consecutive years prior to application
• Public or local authorities, corporate bodies, or other entities operating in Ireland for a minimum of five years
• Individuals or bodies outside Ireland with substantial historical, cultural, educational, financial, or ancestral connections to Ireland

Applications are made on a prescribed form and must be supported by documentary evidence. Corporate applications require details of legal status, structure, activities, and governance, often accompanied by a certified resolution of the governing body. Once an application is deemed acceptable, a herald consults with the applicant on design elements, after which a preliminary painting and draft letters patent are prepared for approval.

Titles of Nobility and Constitutional Context

The Constitution of Ireland places strict limits on the State’s relationship with titles of nobility. Article 40.2.1 prohibits the conferral of new titles of nobility by the State, while Article 40.2.2 prevents citizens from accepting titles of nobility or honour without prior government approval. However, the Constitution does not prohibit the granting of honours that do not constitute titles of nobility, nor does it explicitly address untitled nobility.
The Irish Government recognises titles of nobility historically derived from the British Crown when it exercised sovereignty over Ireland. Such titles continue to be referenced in confirmations of arms issued by the Chief Herald, reflecting continuity with earlier heraldic and genealogical practice.

Chiefs of the Name

A distinctive feature of Irish heraldic tradition is the concept of Chiefs of the Name, referring to the senior representatives of historic Gaelic families. Following the creation of the Kingdom of Ireland in 1541, the English administration sought to integrate Gaelic chiefs by granting them noble titles and coats of arms under the policy of surrender and regrant. This policy introduced primogeniture as the method of succession, replacing the traditional Gaelic system of tanistry, under which leadership could be elected from among eligible male relatives.
Many Gaelic chiefs never received formal peerage titles but were granted arms and registered their genealogies with the heralds in Dublin, becoming part of the landed gentry. After the Battle of Kinsale in 1601 and the subsequent Flight of the Earls, members of the Gaelic aristocracy dispersed across continental Europe. In 1943, some of their descendants received courtesy recognition as Chiefs of the Name from the Chief Herald.
Disagreement persisted over whether succession should follow tanistry or primogeniture. In 2003, following advice from the Attorney General that such recognitions lacked a legal basis, the practice of courtesy recognition of Chiefs of the Name was discontinued.

Legal Status and Controversies

Uncertainty regarding the legal authority of the Chief Herald to grant arms led to significant controversy in the early 2000s. After Irish independence in 1922, it was widely assumed that the heraldic prerogatives of the Crown had transferred to the Irish State, even though the Ulster King of Arms continued to operate unchanged until 1943.
In 2005, Section 13 of the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 was commenced, empowering the Board of the National Library of Ireland to designate a staff member to research, grant, and confirm coats of arms under the title Chief Herald of Ireland. While intended to clarify authority, this measure prompted debate over the validity of grants issued since 1943, including the State’s own arms.
The Genealogy and Heraldry Bill 2006 was introduced to provide a clearer statutory basis but was later withdrawn. Following further legal advice, the National Library Board concluded that it could lawfully exercise heraldic powers under existing legislation, and the granting of arms resumed. Nonetheless, doubts remain regarding the precise legal foundation of heraldic functions prior to 1997, and there is no specific statutory penalty preventing the assumption or use of self-designed arms, aside from protections available under Irish copyright law.