The call to the Inner Bar, commonly referred to as “taking silk”, marks the transition from junior counsel to senior counsel, a distinction that recognises barristers of exceptional ability, integrity, and expertise across a wide range of legal disciplines.

The newly appointed senior counsel bring with them experience across both criminal and civil law.

They are Michael O’Donnell, Barry Doherty, Kilda Mooney, Gráinne Lee, Patricia Hill, Jeananne McGovern, David O’Dwyer, Proinsias Ó Maolchalain, Rory White, Mary-Jo Butler, Conall MacCarthy, Seamus Breen, Cormac MacNamara, Garrett McCormack, Michael Binchy, James Burke, Diarmuid Collins, Conor J. O’Doherty, Shelley Horan, Alan Brady, Mark William Murphy, Morgan Shelley, Marc Thompson Grolimund, Andrew Whelan, Kevin John White, Diana Stuart.

The cohort of newly-appointed senior counsel hail from Dublin, Leitrim, Wicklow, Clare, Mayo, Cork, Tipperary, Louth, Galway, Donegal, Waterford, Wexford, Limerick, Kilkenny and Fermanagh.

Bar Council chair Seán Guerin SC said: “The call to the Inner Bar, or ‘taking silk’, is the highest honour available to practising barristers and remains the traditional mark of excellence in advocacy at the Bar.

“Their achievement is a public testament to their abilities in the provision of advocacy and legal advice of the very highest standard, in keeping with the traditions of independence and excellence at the Bar of Ireland.

“We congratulate them warmly on their new status and wish them well in the next stage of their careers.”