Henry Barron
Encyclopedia
Henry Barron was an Irish
judge. He sat on the Irish Supreme Court from 1997 until his retirement in 2000. He was the first Jew
to hold this position.
Prior to this he spent 15 years as a judge of the High Court. Justice Barron was also noted for granting the Republic's first divorce in 1997. He was President of the Irish Jewish museum.
, County Dublin
before progressing to Saint Columba's College, in Rathfarnham
. He studied at third-level in Trinity College, Dublin
. Upon his departure in 1950 Barron scored first class honours and was awarded a moderatorship in legal science
. In 1951 he began the Bar and silk followed nineteen years later. Barron was a High Court judge for a total of fifteen years, beginning this job in 1982. In 1997 he granted the state's first divorce
prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court in the same year. He was the first Jew
ever to be appointed to the Supreme Court.
. He took over from Justice Liam Hamilton
who departed due to ill health. He investigated bombing incidents in Castleblayney
, Dundalk
, Dublin Airport
, the Miami Showband murders and the deaths of eighteen other individuals. His report, termed The Barron Report and demonstrated before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice in December 2003, was damning as per the investigation into the bombings by both the Fine Gael
/Labour
government and the Gardaí. He thought they might have made a better attempt to stop it from happening. He did not lay any definitive blame with the British government.
, Dublin on 25 February 2010, having been unwell for a short time. His wife Rosalind had predeceased him by 13 years. 2 sons, 2 daughters and 10 grandchildren outlived him. Barron's funeral took place at Dolphin's Barn
's Jewish cemetery at 12:15 on 26 February 2010.
After his death tributes were made by politicians and campaigners for justice:
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
judge. He sat on the Irish Supreme Court from 1997 until his retirement in 2000. He was the first Jew
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
to hold this position.
Prior to this he spent 15 years as a judge of the High Court. Justice Barron was also noted for granting the Republic's first divorce in 1997. He was President of the Irish Jewish museum.
Career
Barron attended Castle Park School in DalkeyDalkey
Dalkey is suburb of Dublin and seaside resort in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County, Ireland. It was founded as a Viking settlement and became an important port during the Middle Ages. According to John Clyn, it was one of the ports through which the plague entered Ireland in the mid-14th century...
, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
before progressing to Saint Columba's College, in Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
. He studied at third-level in Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. Upon his departure in 1950 Barron scored first class honours and was awarded a moderatorship in legal science
Legal science
Legal Science is one of the social sciences which deals with the institutions and principles that particular societies have developed:Legal science is one of the main components in the civil law tradition .Legal science is primarily the creation of German legal scholars of the middle and late...
. In 1951 he began the Bar and silk followed nineteen years later. Barron was a High Court judge for a total of fifteen years, beginning this job in 1982. In 1997 he granted the state's first divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court in the same year. He was the first Jew
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
ever to be appointed to the Supreme Court.
Retirement (Barron Report)
Justice Barron retired in 2000. He was commissioned to investigate the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombingsDublin and Monaghan Bombings
The Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974 were a series of car bombings in Dublin and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. The attacks killed 33 civilians and wounded almost 300 – the highest number of casualties in any single day during the conflict known as The Troubles.A loyalist...
. He took over from Justice Liam Hamilton
Liam Hamilton
Liam Hamilton was an Irish lawyer and judge. He was educated at C.B.S. Mitchelstown, University College Dublin and King's Inns. He was called to the Bar in 1956 and to the Inner Bar in 1968....
who departed due to ill health. He investigated bombing incidents in Castleblayney
Castleblayney
Castleblayney or Castleblaney is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town has a population of about 3,000.Castleblayney lies near the border with County Armagh and is on the N2 road from Dublin to Derry...
, Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon...
, the Miami Showband murders and the deaths of eighteen other individuals. His report, termed The Barron Report and demonstrated before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice in December 2003, was damning as per the investigation into the bombings by both the Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
/Labour
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
government and the Gardaí. He thought they might have made a better attempt to stop it from happening. He did not lay any definitive blame with the British government.
Death
Barron died at the age of 81 in St. Vincent's University HospitalSt. Vincent's University Hospital
St. Vincent's Hospital is a teaching hospital located at Elm Park, south of the city of Dublin, Ireland. It is at the junction of Merrion Road and Nutley Lane opposite the Merrion Centre and adjacent to Elm Park Golf Club.-History:St. Vincent's Hospital was founded in 1834 on St...
, Dublin on 25 February 2010, having been unwell for a short time. His wife Rosalind had predeceased him by 13 years. 2 sons, 2 daughters and 10 grandchildren outlived him. Barron's funeral took place at Dolphin's Barn
Dolphin's Barn
Dolphin's Barn is an inner city suburb of Dublin, Ireland, situated on the Southside of the city in the Dublin 8, and partially in the Dublin 12, postal district. Its name derives from a family named Dolphyn who once owned a storehouse there. Surrounding areas include The Liberties, Inchicore,...
's Jewish cemetery at 12:15 on 26 February 2010.
After his death tributes were made by politicians and campaigners for justice:
External links
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/henry-barron-irish-judge-who-led-the-inquiry-into-the-dublin-and-monaghan-bombings-1947255.html
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article7089275.ece