Ronan Keane
Encyclopedia
The Hon.
Ronan Keane (born 20 July 1932), S.C.
, was Chief Justice of Ireland
from 2000 to 2004.
Keane was educated at Blackrock College
, Dublin, and graduated from University College Dublin
(UCD) in 1953 with a BA
in Modern History. He was called to the Bar in 1954 and became a Senior Counsel
in 1970. He was appointed as a Judge of the High Court in July, 1979. He was head of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the Stardust fire in 1981, and chairman of the Law Reform Commission from 1987 to 1992. He has published many legal texts and papers, and participated in Council of Europe
programmes developing legal systems in Post-Communist Europe
. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in 1996, becoming Chief Justice in 2000. Chief Justice Keane received an Honorary Doctorate from UCD in 2001, and has been an Adjunct Professor at Trinity College Dublin since his retirement.
In 1962 Keane married Therese O'Donnell, who, as Terry Keane
, became a fashion journalist and later a social diarist. They had three children together, and later became close to the daughter Terry had previously given up for adoption
. The couple separated in the 1980s but remained amicable. Their son Tim died suddenly in 2004. In 1999 Terry revealed on The Late Late Show
her affair beginning in 1972 with sometime Taoiseach
Charles Haughey
. His daughter Justine Keane is married to Diarmuid Gavin
the Irish garden designer and television personality.
Keane is the Independent Chairman of the Appeals board of the Turf Club
of Ireland.
The Honourable
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
Ronan Keane (born 20 July 1932), S.C.
Senior Counsel
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms...
, was Chief Justice of Ireland
Chief Justice of Ireland
The Chief Justice of Ireland is the president of the Supreme Court of Ireland.Under Constitution of Ireland, the Chief Justice of Ireland also occupies several positions ex officio, these include;* A possible judge of the High Court....
from 2000 to 2004.
Keane was educated at Blackrock College
Blackrock College
Blackrock College is a Catholic voluntary secondary school for boys aged 14–18, located in Williamstown, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. The College was founded by French missionaries in 1860, to act as a school and civil service training centre. Set in of grounds, it has an illustrious...
, Dublin, and graduated from University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
(UCD) in 1953 with a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Modern History. He was called to the Bar in 1954 and became a Senior Counsel
Senior Counsel
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms...
in 1970. He was appointed as a Judge of the High Court in July, 1979. He was head of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the Stardust fire in 1981, and chairman of the Law Reform Commission from 1987 to 1992. He has published many legal texts and papers, and participated in Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
programmes developing legal systems in Post-Communist Europe
Revolutions of 1989
The Revolutions of 1989 were the revolutions which overthrew the communist regimes in various Central and Eastern European countries.The events began in Poland in 1989, and continued in Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and...
. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in 1996, becoming Chief Justice in 2000. Chief Justice Keane received an Honorary Doctorate from UCD in 2001, and has been an Adjunct Professor at Trinity College Dublin since his retirement.
In 1962 Keane married Therese O'Donnell, who, as Terry Keane
Terry Keane
Terry Keane was an Irish columnist and fashion journalist.Born as Ann Teresa O'Donnell in Guildford, Surrey, UK in 1939, Keane studied medicine at Trinity College, Dublin but dropped out without obtaining a degree. She spent the majority of her career working for the Irish newspaper, the Sunday...
, became a fashion journalist and later a social diarist. They had three children together, and later became close to the daughter Terry had previously given up for adoption
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
. The couple separated in the 1980s but remained amicable. Their son Tim died suddenly in 2004. In 1999 Terry revealed on The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
her affair beginning in 1972 with sometime Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
. His daughter Justine Keane is married to Diarmuid Gavin
Diarmuid Gavin
Diarmuid Gavin is an Irish garden designer and television personality. He is married to Justine Keane, daughter of The Hon. Ronan Keane, the former Chief Justice of Ireland, and Terry Keane, and they have a daughter named Eppie born December 2004.-Early life:When he was six, his younger brother...
the Irish garden designer and television personality.
Keane is the Independent Chairman of the Appeals board of the Turf Club
Turf Club
Turf Club may refer to: * Turf Club , a club in London, UK* Turf Club, Gauteng, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa* Turf Club , a live music venue in Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S....
of Ireland.
Publications
- Judges as lawmakers – the Irish experience Address to NUI, GalwayNational University of Ireland, GalwayThe National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
Law Society on October 1, 2003 - 30 years of Law Reform 1975–2005 Lecture To Mark the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Law Reform Commission At Farmleigh House, Phoenix ParkPhoenix ParkPhoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
, Dublin 23 June 2005