This history covers two distinct periods of the IAA’s development. In 1946 it was formed as the Belfast Centre of the Irish Astronomical Society. Apart from Dublin there were other centres in Armagh, Cork, Derry, Galway, Clonmel and Dundalk though some of these didn’t last long. The IAS was formed in October 1937 in Dublin, but established the regional centres in the years afterwards. For the first five years the senior officeholder was designated “President”. This changed to “Chairman” in 1951.
In 1974 the only two remaining regional centres, Dublin and Belfast, went their separate ways with Dublin keeping the Irish Astronomical Society name and Belfast becoming the Irish Astronomical Association, find the useful source here. The senior officeholder designation returned to “President” at this time.
Pictured above:- Philip Baxter (2009-2012), Terry Moseley, BEM (1980-1983, 1994-1997, 2000-2003 and 2014- 2015), Paul Evans (2012-2014, 2015 – 2018, 2023-), Dr Andy McCrea, MBE (1997-2000, 2003-2006, 2022), Tony Drennan (1977-1978), Brian Beesley (1978-1980, 2018- present), Pat O’Neill (2006-2009). Photo: Danny Collins 19th Feb 2014
The Roll of Presidents and Chairmen to date is as follows:-
| AGM No. (IAS No.) | Year | President |
| Inaugural | 1946 | Sir David Lindsay Keir |
| 1st | 1947 | Sir David Lindsay Keir |
| 2nd | 1948 | Sir David Lindsay Keir |
| 3rd | 1949 | Sir David Lindsay Keir |
| 4th | 1950 | Vacant |
| Chairman | ||
| 5th | 1951 | A P Fitzgerald |
| 6th | 1952 | A P Fitzgerald |
| 7th | 1953 | Brig. Papworth |
| 8th | 1954 | Brig. Papworth |
| 9th | 1955 | A S Merrick |
| 10th | 1956 | A S Merrick |
| 11th | 1957 | R Hayward |
| 12th | 1958 | C McMahon |
| 13th | 1959 | A Scott |
| 14th | 1960 | A Scott |
| 15th | 1961 | A Scott |
| 16th | 1962 | W G McCusker |
| 17th | 1963 | W G McCusker |
| 18th | 1964 | I Grainger |
| 19th | 1965 | I Grainger |
| 20th | 1966 | I Grainger |
| 21st | 1967 | Andrew Trimble |
| 22nd | 1968 | Andrew Trimble |
| 23rd | 1969 | Andrew Trimble |
| 24th | 1970 | Ronnie Ormonde |
| 25th | 1971 | Ronnie Ormonde |
| 26th | 1972 | Ronnie Ormonde |
| 27th | 1973 | David E Beesley |
| 28th | 1974 | David E Beesley |
|
The Belfast centre reconstituted on 17th May 1974 as the Irish Astronomical Association | ||
| President | ||
| Ronnie Ormonde | ||
| I (29th | 1975 | Ronnie Ormonde |
| II (30th) | 1976 | Ronnie Ormonde |
| III (31st) | 1977 | Tony Drennan |
| IV (32nd) | 1978 | Brian J Beesley |
| V (33rd) | 1979 | Brian J Beesley |
| VI (34th) | 1980 | Terry Moseley |
| VII (35th) | 1981 | Terry Moseley |
| 8th | 1982 | Terry Moseley |
| 9th | 1983 | Dr H R Ormonde |
| 10th | 1984 | Dr H R Ormonde |
| 11th | 1985 | Dr H R Ormonde |
| 12th | 1986 | J Flynn |
| 13th | 1987 | J Flynn |
| 14th | 1988 | J Flynn |
| 15th | 1989 | David E Beesley |
| 16th | 1990 | David E Beesley |
| 17th | 1991 | Bruce Hardie |
| 18th | 1992 | Bruce Hardie |
| 19th | 1993 | Bruce Hardie |
| 20th | 1994 | Terry Moseley |
| 21st | 1995 | Terry Moseley |
| 22nd | 1996 | Terry Moseley |
| 23rd | 1997 | Dr Andy McCrea |
| 24th | 1998 | Dr Andy McCrea |
| 25th | 1999 | Dr Andy McCrea |
| 26th | 2000 | Terry Moseley |
| 27th | 2001 | Terry Moseley |
| 28th | 2002 | Terry Moseley |
| 29th | 2003 | Dr Andy McCrea |
| 30th | 2004 | Dr Andy McCrea |
| 31st | 2005 | Dr Andy McCrea |
| 32nd | 2006 | Pat O’Neill |
| 33rd | 2007 | Pat O’Neill |
| 34th | 2008 | Pat O’Neill |
| 35th | 2009 | Philip Baxter |
| 36th | 2010 | Philip Baxter |
| 37th | 2011 | Philip Baxter |
| 38th | 2012 | Paul Evans |
| 39th | 2013 | Paul Evans |
| 40th | 2014 | Terry Moseley |
| 41st | 2015 | Paul Evans |
| 42nd | 2016 | Paul Evans |
| 43rd | 2017 | Paul Evans |
| 44th | 2018 | Brian Beesley |
| 45th | 2019 | Brian Beesley |
| 46th | 2020 | Danny Collins |
| 47th | 2021 | Danny Collins |
| 48th | 2022 | Dr Andy McCrea |
| 49th | 2023 | Paul Evans |