Page "Republic of Ireland Act 1948" Paragraph 15

The bill to declare Ireland a republic was introduced in 1948 by the new Taoiseach, John A. Costello of the Fine Gael party.

Costello made the announcement that the bill was to be introduced when he was in Ottawa, during an official visit to Canada.

It has been suggested that it was a spur of the moment reaction to offence caused by the Governor-General of Canada, Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis who was of Northern Irish descent and who allegedly placed symbols of Northern Ireland, notably a replica of the famous Roaring Meg cannon used in the Siege of Derry, before an affronted Costello at a state dinner.

What is certain is that the prior arrangement whereby toasts to the King ( symbolising Canada ) and the President ( representing Ireland ) were to be proposed, was broken.

Only a toast to the King was proposed, to the fury of the Irish delegation.

Shortly afterwards Costello announced the plan to declare the republic.