The Embassy’s History

Embassy History

Diplomatic relations between Ireland and Bulgaria were established in July 1990. The first resident Irish Mission to Bulgaria was headed by Austin Gormley and was established in September 2003 to assist with the Irish Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2004.

At the end of the 2004 Presidency, responsibility for relations with Bulgaria reverted to the Embassy in Athens, with a small office maintained in Sofia.

The Embassy of Ireland opened on a permanent basis in Sofia in 2005.

Since 2007, the Embassy in Sofia has also been responsible for relations with Georgia and Armenia, with the Ambassador accredited to these two countries on a non-resident basis.

Irish resident Ambassadors to Bulgaria

Geoffrey Keating, 2005 - 2010 (accredited to Armenia and Georgia from 2007)
John Rowan, 2010 - 2013 (also accredited to Armenia and Georgia)
John Biggar, 2013 - 2015 (also accredited to Armenia and Georgia)
Michael Forbes 2016 -2020 (also accredited to Armenia and Georgia)
Martina Feeney (2020 - to date (also accredited to Armenia and Georgia)