Irgens joined the
Norwegian-Swedish diplomatic corps upon graduating from university in 1892, his initial posting as a diplomatic fellow in
Bordeaux and then
Antwerp. His fellowship was revoked in 1895 as a result of tension between Sweden and Norway about the use of consuls. He returned to Kristiania and took up work as an attorney. He advanced to barrister, earning the right to appear before the
Supreme Court, in 1900. When Bratlie's Cabinet did not survive the 1913 election, Irgens accept a post as acting
County Governor of Hedmark but asked to be put back into active service as a diplomat. He was made ambassador in
Copenhagen in 1913, with accreditation also to
The Hague and
Brussels. In 1922 he was made ambassador in
Rome, Italy with responsibility also for Norway's station in
Bern, with accreditation also to Athens from 1927 to 1935 and Bucharest from 1930 to 1931. He was decorated as a Knight First Class of the
Order of St. Olav (1906), upgraded to Commander with Star in 1909. He also received the Grand Cross of the
Order of the Dannebrog, Grand Cordon of the
Order of Leopold, Grand Cross of the
Royal Victoria Order and the Grand Cordon of the
Order of the Rising Sun (Japan). ==References==