Darrell Edmund Figgis was an Irish writer, political activist, and independent parliamentarian in the Irish Free State. He was a member of the Constitution Committee and one of the contributors to the text of the Constitution. The work presented here includes Figgis' commentary on the text of the Constitution and an explanation of some of its points.

Ireland's Constitution of 1937 represents the culmination of the 'constitutional revolution' begun by Eamon de Valera, John Hearne, and others from the 1930s. Marking the 75th anniversary, The Origins of the Irish Constitution, 1928-1941 is a comprehensive selection of key documents relating to the development and drafting of the Constitution. The documents have been collected from a variety of archival holdings, covering the period of 1929 to 1941. The book includes extensive commentary and annotations as a guide to the complex legal and philosophical problems that arose during the drafting process. This is a project of the Royal Irish Academy, in association with the National Archives of Ireland, with support from the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of the Taoiseach.

"The book begins with an overview of Irish constitutional history leading to the enactment of the 1937 Constitution, before exploring the foundational decisions made by the Constitution in relation to territory, people and citizenship. Particular attention is paid to the constitutional relationship with Northern Ireland, currently unsettled by the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. The book details the key institutions of state (Government, Parliament, President and courts), before analysing how different constitutional actors exercise their respective powers of governance, contestation and oversight. A thematic approach is taken to the courts' interpretation of fundamental rights, showing how judicial attitudes have markedly changed over time. Further attention is paid to both formal amendment and informal constitutional change. The Constitution today is markedly different from 1937: it is non-committal on national reunification, less influenced by Roman Catholic natural law teaching, and generally more permissive of Government action. It is perhaps these developments, however, that explain its continued success or, at least, its longevity."--