Mary Finlay Geoghegan
Mary Finlay Geoghegan | |
|---|---|
| Judge of the Supreme Court | |
| In office 1 December 2017 – 16 June 2019 | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Michael D. Higgins |
| Judge of the Court of Appeal | |
| In office 24 October 2014 – 10 November 2017 | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Michael D. Higgins |
| Judge of the High Court | |
| In office 21 June 2002 – 24 October 2014 | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Mary McAleese |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mary Anne Finlay 10 May 1949 Naas, County Kildare, Ireland |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Spouse | Hugh Geoghegan (m. 1981) |
| Relations |
|
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | |
Mary Anne Finlay Geoghegan (née Finlay; born 5 May 1949) is a retired Irish judge who served as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland from 2017 to 2019, a Judge of the Court of Appeal from 2014 to 2017 and a Judge of the High Court from 2002 to 2014.[1]
Early life
Finlay was born to Thomas Finlay and Alice Blayney as one of five siblings.[2][3] Her father was the Chief Justice of Ireland between 1985 and 1994.[1] Her paternal grandfather Thomas Finlay was a Cumann na nGaedheal politician. Her maternal uncle John Blayney was also a Supreme Court judge.[4]
She was educated at Mount Anville Secondary School and obtained a BA in Mathematics and Mathematical Physics from University College Dublin.[5][6] She was auditor of the UCD L&H between 1970 and 1971. The topic of her inaugural address was the "Just Society" and featured contributions from Mary Robinson, Declan Costello and Brian Walsh.[7] She later studied for a postgraduate course in EEC studies at the College of Europe, Bruges and attended the Law Society of Ireland.[5]
She was admitted as a Solicitor in 1973, called to the Bar in 1980 and became a Senior Counsel in 1988.[5]
Finlay was appointed chair of the National Consumer Advisory Council in 1976.[6] She served as a member of the Constitution Review Group and a board member of the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.[8]
Judicial career
She was appointed to the High Court in 2002 and she was assigned to the Commercial list in 2004. She was in charge of the Examiners Court list and The Hague Convention on Child Abduction list.[9]
She served as chairperson of the Referendum Commission for the 31st Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland.[1]
On 7 November 2017, the Government of Ireland nominated her for appointment by the President of Ireland to the Supreme Court.[10] She was appointed by the President on 1 December 2017.[11] Finlay Geoghegan retired as a judge on 16 June 2019.[12] The Chief Justice Frank Clarke described her judicial contribution as "meticulous and firm" and marked by "an overlay of lightness and a deep underlay of humanity".[8]
Personal life
She is married Hugh Geoghegan, who was also a Judge of the High Court and later a Judge of the Supreme Court, who was himself the son of a Supreme Court Judge James Geoghegan. Finlay Geoghegan and Geoghegan have three children,[1] including James who is a barrister and Dublin City Councillor.[13]
References
- ^ a b c d Carolan, Mary (6 June 2019). "Courts need more resources to administer justice, judge warns". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
- ^ "A considerate, patient and shrewd chief justice". The Irish Times. 16 December 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ^ "Several reports already compiled". The Irish Times. 12 March 1997. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ^ "Obituary: Judge John Blayney". Irish Independent. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ^ a b c "2018 Supreme Court Annual Report" (PDF). Supreme Court. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
- ^ a b "New Chairman Appointed to Consumer Advisory Council". The Irish Times. 6 April 1976.
- ^ "The Law and the Just Society". The Irish Times. 5 December 1970.
- ^ a b "Supreme Court Annual Report 2019" (PDF). Supreme Court of Ireland. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ^ "Appointments to the Court of Appeal". Department of the Taoiseach. 29 October 2014.
- ^ "Appointments to the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and to the High Court". Merrionstreet.ie Irish Government New Service. 7 November 2017.
- ^ "President appoints new judges". President.ie official website of the President of Ireland. 1 December 2017.
- ^ "Justice Finlay Geoghegan to retire from Supreme Court". Law Society Gazette. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
- ^ "YOUNG BLOOD: JAMES GEOGHEGAN". The Phoenix Magazine. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2020.