The Embassy’s History
Find out about the Embassy's history, including where we are and some of our former Ambassadors.
Diplomatic relations between Ireland and The Netherlands were established in 1945 and Ireland’s first envoy to The Netherlands was appointed in 1950.
Interestingly, between 1962 and 1972, the Irish Ambassador in the Netherlands was also accredited to Denmark!
The Embassy has been at its current location on the Scheveningseweg since 2010, having formerly been located on the Dr Kuyperstraat and the Klatteweg.
In the past Ireland also maintained an Honorary Consul in Rotterdam.
Irish Ambassadors to The Netherlands
|
Josephine McNeill |
Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary |
1950 – 1955 |
|
Timothy J. O’Driscoll |
Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary |
1955 – 1956 |
|
Brian Gallagher |
Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary, Ambassador after 1958 |
1956 – 1962 |
|
James Wilfrid Lennon |
Ambassador |
1962 – 1967 |
|
Eoin MacWhite |
Ambassador |
1967 – 1972 |
|
Sean Morrissy |
Ambassador |
1973 – 1980 |
|
Kester Heaslip |
Ambassador |
1980 – 1986 |
|
James Kirwan |
Ambassador |
1986 – 1990 |
|
Denis O’Leary |
Ambassador |
1990 – 1995 |
|
John Swift |
Ambassador |
1995 – 2001 |
|
Richard Townsend |
Ambassador |
2001 – 2005 |
|
Richard Ryan |
Ambassador |
2005 – 2009 |
|
Mary Whelan |
Ambassador |
2009 – 2014 |
|
John Neary |
Ambassador |
2014 – 2016 |
|
Kevin Kelly |
Ambassador |
2016 – 2021 |
|
Brendan Rogers |
Ambassador |
2021 – Present |
Documents on Irish Foreign Policy project
Learn more about the history of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our collaboration with the Royal Irish Academy's Documents on Irish Foreign Policy project