Organisation information
Previous Attorneys General
From Office of the Attorney General
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From Office of the Attorney General
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Kennedy served as the first Attorney General of the Irish Free State from 31 January 1922 to 05 June 1924. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1922, he was appointed by the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State to the committee charged with drafting the Constitution of the Irish Free State 1922. He was also appointed to the committee charged with establishing the new court system for the Irish Free State. In 1923, he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal TD for the Dublin City South constituency but resigned his seat when appointed as the first Chief Justice of the Irish Free State in June 1924.
O’Byrne served as Attorney General from 07 June 1924 to 09 January 1926. He was educated at the Royal University of Ireland and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1922, he was appointed by the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State to the committee charged with drafting the Constitution of the Irish Free State 1922. In 1926, he was appointed as a judge of the High Court. He was later appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court in 1940.
Costello served as Attorney General from 09 January 1926 to 09 March 1932. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. After his term as Attorney General, Costello entered into politics. In 1933, he was elected as a Cumann na nGaedheal TD. After the 1948 election, Costello was elected as Taoiseach of the first Inter-Party Government of the Irish State. In 1954, he was re-elected as Taoiseach, serving until 1957.
Maguire served as Attorney General from 10 March 1932 to 02 November 1936. He was educated at University College Dublin. In 1914, he qualified as a solicitor and practiced in County Mayo. He later attended the Honorable Society of King’s Inns and was called to the Bar in 1922. In 1932, he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD for the National University constituency. He was later appointed as President of the High Court in 1936. In 1946, he was appointed to the Supreme Court and served as Chief Justice of Ireland. He later served as a judge of the European Court of Human Rights between 1965 to 1971.
Geoghegan served as Attorney General from 02 November 1936 to 22 December 1936. In 1907, Geoghegan qualified as a solicitor and practiced predominantly in counties Westmeath and Monaghan. He later attended the Honorable Society of King’s Inns and was called to the Bar in 1915. In 1930, he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD for Longford-Westmeath. When Fianna Fáil entered into government in 1932, he was appointed Minister for Justice. In December 1936, he was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court.
Lynch served as Attorney General from 22 December 1936 to 01 March 1940. He was educated at the Royal University of Ireland and the Honorable Society of King's Inns. In 1934, he was elected as a Fianna Fáil senator to Seanad Éireann. He was Attorney General at the time of the first Council of State meeting, in January 1940, and the subsequent first Article 26 Reference in Re Offences Against the State (Amendment) Bill, 1940.
Haugh served as Attorney General from 02 March 1940 to 10 October 1942. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1942, Haugh was appointed as a judge of the High Court. He was later appointed as judge of the Supreme Court in 1961.
Dixon served as Attorney General from 10 October 1942 to 30 April 1946. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1946, he was appointed as a judge of the High Court.
Ó Dálaigh served as Attorney General from 30 April 1946 to 18 February 1948 and again from 14 June 1951 to 11 July 1953. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1953, he was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court and became Chief Justice in 1961. In 1973, he was appointed as a judge to the Court of Justice of the European Communities. He was subsequently elected President of Ireland in 1974.
Lavery served as Attorney General from 19 February 1948 to 21 April 1950. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1935, he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael TD. In 1948, he was elected as a senator to Seanad Éireann, which he served concurrently with his role as Attorney General. In 1950, he was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court.
Casey served as Attorney General from 21 April 1950 to 12 June 1951. He was educated at the Honorable Society of King’s Inns and was called to the Bar in 1923. During World War I he served in the 16th (Irish) Division in France. In 1951, he was appointed as a judge of the High Court.
Teevan served as Attorney General from 11 July 1953 to 30 January 1954. He was educated at University College Dublin and qualified as a solicitor in 1925. He later attended the Honorable Society of King’s Inns and was called to the Bar in 1936. He was appointed as a judge of the High Court in 1954.
Ó Caoimh served as Attorney General from 30 January 1954 to 02 June 1954 and again from 20 March 1957 to 15 March 1965. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1965, he was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court. He was later appointed President of the High Court. In 1974, he was appointed as a judge of the European Court of Justice.
McGilligan served as Attorney General from 02 June 1954 to 20 March 1957. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1923, he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal TD. Between 1924 and 1932, McGilligan served as Minister for Industry and Commerce. He also served as Minister for External Affairs from 1927 to 1932. In 1934, he was appointed chair of Constitutional law, International law, and Criminal law and procedure at University College Dublin. After the 1948 general election, McGilligan was appointed Minister for Finance for the first Inter-Party Government.
Condon served as Attorney General from 16 March 1965 to 14 March 1973. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. He was called to the Bar in 1944 and became a senior counsel in 1959.
Costello served as Attorney General from 15 March 1973 to 19 May 1977. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1951, he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael TD. He was re-elected as a Fine Gael TD in the 1973 election. In 1977, he was appointed as a judge of the High Court. He was later appointed President of the High Court in 1995.
Kelly served as Attorney General from 20 May 1977 to 5 July 1977. He was educated at University College Dublin, the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, the University of Heidelberg and the University of Oxford. In 1967, he became the Dean of Law at University College Dublin. He was elected to Seanad Éireann in 1969 and to Dáil Éireann in 1973 as a Fine Gael TD. In 1980, he published the leading Irish constitutional law textbook, The Irish Constitution. After the 1981 general election, he was appointed as Minister for Trade, Commerce, and Tourism.
Hederman served as Attorney General from 06 July 1977 to 29 June 1981. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1981, he was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court.
Sutherland served as Attorney General from 30 June 1981 to 09 March 1982 and again from 15 December 1982 to 12 December 1984. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. He also was admitted to the English Bar (Middle Temple) and to the New York Bar. From 1985 to 1989, he served as a Commissioner for the European Communities. In 1993, he became director general of the World Trade Organisation.
Connolly served as Attorney General from 10 March 1982 to 16 August 1982. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. He was called to the Bar in 1949 and became a senior counsel in 1971.
Rogers served as Attorney General from 13 December 1984 to 10 March 1987. He attended Trinity College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. He was called to the Bar in 1973 and was appointed a senior counsel in 1984.
Murray served as Attorney General from 17 August 1982 to 14 December 1982 and again from 11 March 1987 to 25 September 1991. He attended University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1991, he was appointed as a judge of the European Court of Justice. He was later appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court in 1999 and as Chief Justice in 2004.
Whelehan served as Attorney General from 26 September 1991 to 11 November 1994. He attended University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 1994, he was appointed as President of the High Court.
Fitzsimons was Attorney General from 11 November 1994 to 15 December 1994. He was educated at the Honorable Society of King’s Inns.
Gleeson served as Attorney General from 15 December 1994 to 26 June 1997. He was educated at University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. He was called to the Bar in 1970 and was appointed as a senior counsel in 1979.
Byrne served as Attorney General from 26 June 1997 to 17 July 1999. He attended University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. He was a founding member of the Free Legal Advice Centre (FLAC). In 1999, he was appointed as a Commissioner of the European Union.
McDowell served as Attorney General from 17 July 1999 to 06 June 2002. He attended University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. He was elected to Dáil Éireann as a TD for the Progressive Democrats in 1987, 1992 and 2002. He served as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2002 until 2007, and as Tánaiste from 2006 until 2007. In 2016, he was elected to Seanad Éireann as an Independent member on the NUI panel.
Brady served as Attorney General from 07 June 2002 to 14 June 2007. He attended University College Dublin and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. He was called to the Bar in 1979 and was appointed as a senior counsel in 1996.
Gallagher served as Attorney General from 14 July 2007 to 09 March 2011 and again from 27 June 2020 to 17 December 2022. He attended University College Dublin, the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, and the University of Cambridge.
Whelan served as Attorney General from 09 March 2011 to 14 June 2017. She was the first woman to be appointed to the role. She attended University College Galway, the University of London and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 2017, she was appointed as a judge of the Court of Appeal.
Woulfe served as Attorney General from 14 June 2017 to 27 June 2020. He was educated at Trinity College Dublin, Dalhousie University Nova Scotia, and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 2020, he was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court.