Barra na hÉireann | |
 | |
 Bar of Ireland headquarters, Dublin | |
| Predecessor | The Law Library Committee |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1897 |
| Type | Bar association |
| Purpose | Educational, representative and regulatory |
Professional title | Barrister |
| Headquarters | The Law Library, The Distillery Building, Church Street |
| Location |
|
Region served | Ireland |
Official language | Irish and English |
Chair | Sara Phelan SC |
| Funding | Professional and educational fees |
| Website | www |
The Bar of Ireland (Irish: Barra na hÉireann) is the professional association of barristers for Ireland, with over 2,000 members.[1] It is based in the Law Library, with premises in Dublin and Cork. It is governed by the General Council of the Bar of Ireland, commonly called the Bar Council of Ireland, which was established in 1897. The Council is composed of twenty-five members: twenty who are elected, four co-opted, and the Attorney-General, who holds office ex officio. Every year, ten members are elected for two-year terms; five by senior counsel and five by junior counsel.
The Bar of Ireland funds the Law Library, which has premises in Dublin in the Four Courts, Church Street, and the Criminal Courts of Justice, and also a smaller library in Cork. Nearly all barristers practising in Ireland are members of the Law Library, which is often used as a metonym for the Irish barrister profession itself. Before the creation of the Bar of Ireland in 1897, barristers in Ireland were only loosely organised through their occupation of the physical premises of the Law Library.