We classify the subalgebras of the general Lie conformal algebra $\gc_N$ that act irreducibly on $\mathbb{C} [\partial]^N$ and that are normalized by the sl$_2$-part of a Virasoro element. The problem turns out to be closely related to classical Jacobi polynomials $P_n^{(-\sigma,\sigma)}$, $\sigma \in \mathbb{C}$. The connection goes both ways---we use in our classification some classical properties of Jacobi polynomials, and we derive from the theory of conformal algebras some apparently new properties of Jacobi polynomials.