Douglas Hyde ( or Dubhghlas de hÃ de Born January 17 1860 Died July 12 1949 ) was the first President of Ireland from 1938 to 1945 . Douglas Hyde ( ; 17 January 1860 â `` 12 July 1949 ) , known as An CraoibhÃ n Aoibhinn ( `` The Pleasant Little Branch '' ) , was an Irish scholar of the Irish language who served as the first President of Ireland from 1938 to 1945 .