Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh

Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh (born Carroll O'Daly; 12 February 1911 – 21 March 1978) was an Irish barrister, judge and Fianna Fáil politician who served as the president of Ireland from December 1974 to October 1976. Following a breakdown in relations with the government intensified by remarks made by a senior minister, he was the first president of Ireland to resign from office.

A trained barrister and accomplished scholar of Irish literature and language, Ó Dálaigh became Éamon de Valera's protégé in the 1930s. He was appointed Attorney General in 1946 and a Supreme Court justice in 1953, the youngest-ever holder of either position at the time. He was promoted to Chief Justice of Ireland in 1961, and presided over a period of greater assertiveness on the part of the Irish judiciary. In 1973, he became the first Irish judge to sit on the European Court of Justice.

Ó Dálaigh became President of Ireland unexpectedly following the death of Erskine Childers. Growing conflict with the National Coalition government spilled out into open acrimony following hostile comments by defence minister Paddy Donegan. This led to Ó Dálaigh's resignation after twenty-two months in office. His departure and the circumstances around it remain a subject of controversy.