Solicitor-General for Ireland

The Solicitor-General for Ireland was the holder of an Irish and then (from the Act of Union 1800) United Kingdom government office.

The holder was a deputy to the Attorney-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters.

Elizabeth I thought poorly of most of her Irish-born Law Officers (there were a few exceptions like James Dowdall) and Richard Finglas, and from 1584 onwards there was a practice, which lasted for several decades, of appointing English-born lawyers as Solicitor General.

At least one of them, Sir Roger Wilbraham (in office 1586–1603), was a key figure in the Dublin government for many years.

This led to complaints for many years about the undue burden of work which was placed on the Attorney General, whose office was seriously understaffed until the 1930s.