List of Irish Leaders of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition

No.
Name (Birth–Death)
Portrait
Constituency
Term of office
Term of office
Party
Party
Taoiseach
Taoiseach
1.
Éamon de Valera (1882–1975)
-
Clare
9 January 1922
8 June 1922
-
Sinn Féin (Anti-Treaty)
-
Arthur Griffith (1922)
2.
Thomas Johnson (1872–1963)
-
Dublin County
9 September 1922
11 August 1927
-
Labour Party
-
W. T. Cosgrave (1922–32)
(1)
Éamon de Valera (1882–1975)
-
Clare
11 August 1927
9 March 1932
Fianna Fáil
-
-
W. T. Cosgrave (1922–32)
3.
W. T. Cosgrave (1880–1965)
-
Cork Borough
9 March 1932
January 1944
-
Cumann na nGaedheal
-
Éamon de Valera (1932–48)
3.
W. T. Cosgrave (1880–1965)
-
Cork Borough
9 March 1932
January 1944
Fine Gael
-
-
Éamon de Valera (1932–48)
4.
Thomas F. O'Higgins (1890–1953)
-
Leix–Offaly
January 1944
9 June 1944
Fine Gael
-
-
Éamon de Valera (1932–48)
5.
Richard Mulcahy (1886–1971)
-
Tipperary
9 June 1944
18 February 1948
Fine Gael
-
-
Éamon de Valera (1932–48)
(1)
Éamon de Valera (1882–1975)
-
Clare
18 February 1948
13 June 1951
-
Fianna Fáil
-
John A. Costello (1948–51)
6.
John A. Costello (1891–1976)
-
Dublin South-East
13 June 1951
2 June 1954
-
Fine Gael
-
Éamon de Valera (1951–54)
(1)
Éamon de Valera (1882–1975)
-
Clare
2 June 1954
20 March 1957
-
Fianna Fáil
-
John A. Costello (1954–57)
(6)
John A. Costello (1891–1976)
-
Dublin South-East
20 March 1957
21 October 1959
-
Fine Gael
-
Éamon de Valera (1957–59)
(6)
John A. Costello (1891–1976)
-
Dublin South-East
20 March 1957
21 October 1959
-
Fine Gael
-
Seán Lemass (1959–66)
7.
James Dillon (1902–1986)
-
Monaghan
21 October 1959
21 April 1965
-
Fine Gael
-
Seán Lemass (1959–66)
8.
Liam Cosgrave (1920-2017)
-
Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown
21 April 1965
14 March 1973
-
Fine Gael
-
Seán Lemass (1959–66)
8.
Liam Cosgrave (1920-2017)
-
Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown
21 April 1965
14 March 1973
-
Fine Gael
-
Jack Lynch (1966–73)
9.
Jack Lynch (1917–1999)
-
Cork City North-West
14 March 1973
5 July 1977
-
Fianna Fáil
-
Liam Cosgrave (1973–77)
10.
Garret FitzGerald (1926–2011)
-
Dublin South-East
5 July 1977
30 June 1981
-
Fine Gael
-
Jack Lynch (1977–79)
10.
Garret FitzGerald (1926–2011)
-
Dublin South-East
5 July 1977
30 June 1981
-
Fine Gael
-
Charles Haughey (1979–81)
11.
Charles Haughey (1925–2006)
-
Dublin North-Central
30 June 1981
9 March 1982
-
Fianna Fáil
-
Garret FitzGerald (1981–82)
(10)
Garret FitzGerald (1926–2011)
-
Dublin South-East
9 March 1982
14 December 1982
-
Fine Gael
-
Charles Haughey (1982)
(11)
Charles Haughey (1925–2006)
-
Dublin North-Central
14 December 1982
10 March 1987
-
Fianna Fáil
-
Garret FitzGerald (1982–87)
12.
Alan Dukes (born 1945)
-
Kildare
10 March 1987
20 November 1990
-
Fine Gael
-
Charles Haughey (1987–92)
13.
John Bruton (born 1947)
-
Meath
20 November 1990
15 December 1994
-
Fine Gael
-
Charles Haughey (1987–92)
13.
John Bruton (born 1947)
-
Meath
20 November 1990
15 December 1994
-
Fine Gael
-
Albert Reynolds (1992–94)
14.
Bertie Ahern (born 1951)
-
Dublin Central
15 December 1994
26 June 1997
-
Fianna Fáil
-
John Bruton (1994–97)
(13)
John Bruton (born 1947)
-
Meath
26 June 1997
9 February 2001
-
Fine Gael
-
Bertie Ahern (1997–2008)
15.
Michael Noonan (born 1943)
-
Limerick East
9 February 2001
6 June 2002
-
Fine Gael
-
Bertie Ahern (1997–2008)
16.
Enda Kenny (born 1951)
-
Mayo
6 June 2002
9 March 2011
-
Fine Gael
-
Bertie Ahern (1997–2008)
16.
Enda Kenny (born 1951)
-
Mayo
6 June 2002
9 March 2011
-
Fine Gael
-
Brian Cowen (2008–11)
17.
Micheál Martin (born 1960)
-
Cork South-Central
9 March 2011
Incumbent
-
Fianna Fáil
-
Enda Kenny (2011–2017)
17.
Micheál Martin (born 1960)
-
Cork South-Central
9 March 2011
Incumbent
-
Fianna Fáil
Leo Varadkar (2017–present)
-

Question: Who succeeded Bruton as Irish Leader of the Opposition in 2001 and which party did both candidates represent?
Answer: Michael Noonan succeeded John Bruton of Fine Gael as the Leader of the Opposition in 2001.