Catherine McGuinness
Encyclopedia
Catherine McGuinness is a former President of the Law Reform Commission and a former judge of the Circuit Court
1994-1996 (the first woman to serve on the Court), justice of the High Court
1996-2000 and Supreme Court of Ireland
2000-2006. She was born in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
and educated in Belfast and Dublin (Alexandra College
, Trinity College Dublin and the King's Inns
). She was called to the Irish bar in 1977. In 1989 she was called to the Inner Bar, and called to the Bar of New South Wales
in 1993.
In 1979 she was elected as an independent candidate to Seanad Éireann
(the Irish Senate) at a by-election in the Dublin University constituency following the resignation of Conor Cruise O'Brien
, taking her seat in the 14th Seanad. She was re-elected at the 1981 elections to the 15th Seanad, and in 1983 to the 17th Seanad, where she served until 1987.
In addition to her judicial career, McGuinness has served on An Bord Uchtála (the Adoption Board), the Voluntary Health Insurance Board, the National Economic and Social Council, the Second Commission on the Status of Women, and has chaired the National Social Services Board, the Board of National College of Art and Design
, the Employment Equality Agency, the Kilkenny Incest Investigation, and the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation. She is currently the Chair of the Irish Universities Quality Board. She is also Chair of the National Council of the Forum on End of Life in Ireland, an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation.
She has received honorary doctorates from the University of Ulster
, the National University of Ireland
, the University of Dublin
and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council
(HETAC).
In September 2010 she was named as one of the "People of the Year" for "her pioneering, courageous and long-standing service to Irish society"
In April 2009 she was awarded a "Lord Mayor's Award" by Dublin Lord Mayor Eibhlin Byrne "for her contribution to the lives of children and families in the city through her pioneering work".
In November 2005 she was appointed Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law, National University of Ireland, Galway
.
In June 2011 she became patron of the Irish Refugee Council.
She was married to broadcaster and writer Proinsias Mac Aonghusa
and has three children.
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
1994-1996 (the first woman to serve on the Court), justice of the High Court
High Court
The term High Court usually refers to the superior court of a country or state. In some countries, it is the highest court . In others, it is positioned lower in the hierarchy of courts The term High Court usually refers to the superior court (or supreme court) of a country or state. In some...
1996-2000 and Supreme Court of Ireland
Supreme Court (Ireland)
The Supreme Court of Ireland is the highest judicial authority in the Republic of Ireland. It is a court of final appeal and exercises, in conjunction with the High Court, judicial review over Acts of the Oireachtas . The Court also has jurisdiction to ensure compliance with the Constitution of...
2000-2006. She was born in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and educated in Belfast and Dublin (Alexandra College
Alexandra College
Alexandra College is a private, single-sex school located in Milltown, Dublin, Ireland. It serves girls from ages 4 to 19 as boarding or day pupils. The school is one of the most prestigious in Ireland and ranks highly in Leaving Certificate results tables...
, Trinity College Dublin and the King's Inns
King's Inns
The Honorable Society of King's Inns , is the institution which controls the entry of barristers-at-law into the justice system of Ireland...
). She was called to the Irish bar in 1977. In 1989 she was called to the Inner Bar, and called to the Bar of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in 1993.
In 1979 she was elected as an independent candidate to Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
(the Irish Senate) at a by-election in the Dublin University constituency following the resignation of Conor Cruise O'Brien
Conor Cruise O'Brien
Conor Cruise O'Brien often nicknamed "The Cruiser", was an Irish politician, writer, historian and academic. Although his opinion on the role of Britain in Northern Ireland changed over the course of the 1970s and 1980s, he always acknowledge values of, as he saw, the two irreconcilable traditions...
, taking her seat in the 14th Seanad. She was re-elected at the 1981 elections to the 15th Seanad, and in 1983 to the 17th Seanad, where she served until 1987.
In addition to her judicial career, McGuinness has served on An Bord Uchtála (the Adoption Board), the Voluntary Health Insurance Board, the National Economic and Social Council, the Second Commission on the Status of Women, and has chaired the National Social Services Board, the Board of National College of Art and Design
National College of Art and Design
The National College of Art and Design is a national art and design school in Dublin, Ireland.-History:Situated on Thomas Street, the NCAD started as a private drawing school and has become a national institution educating over 1,500 day and evening students as artists, designers and art educators...
, the Employment Equality Agency, the Kilkenny Incest Investigation, and the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation. She is currently the Chair of the Irish Universities Quality Board. She is also Chair of the National Council of the Forum on End of Life in Ireland, an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation.
She has received honorary doctorates from the University of Ulster
University of Ulster
The University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
, the National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...
, the University of Dublin
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council
Higher Education and Training Awards Council
The Higher Education and Training Awards Council , the legal successor to the National Council for Educational Awards , grants higher education awards in Ireland in the extra-university system...
(HETAC).
In September 2010 she was named as one of the "People of the Year" for "her pioneering, courageous and long-standing service to Irish society"
In April 2009 she was awarded a "Lord Mayor's Award" by Dublin Lord Mayor Eibhlin Byrne "for her contribution to the lives of children and families in the city through her pioneering work".
In November 2005 she was appointed Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law, National University of Ireland, Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
.
In June 2011 she became patron of the Irish Refugee Council.
She was married to broadcaster and writer Proinsias Mac Aonghusa
Proinsias Mac Aonghusa
Proinsias Mac Aonghusa was a vice-chairman of Ireland's Labour Party. He was a broadcaster for Radio Éireann , and for RTÉ, UTV and the BBC...
and has three children.