Séamus Francis Egan[1] (1 December 1923 – 23 January 2004) was an Irish judge and barrister who served as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1991 to 1995 and a Judge of the High Court from 1984 to 1991.
Séamus Egan | |
|---|---|
| Judge of the Supreme Court | |
| In office 3 May 1991 – 30 November 1995 | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Mary Robinson |
| Judge of the High Court | |
| In office 29 June 1984 – 3 May 1991 | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Patrick Hillery |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 December 1923 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 23 January 2004 (aged 80) Dublin, Ireland |
| Spouse |
Ada Leahy (m. 1951) |
| Children | 7 |
| Education | Blackrock College |
| Alma mater | |
Early life
Egan was born in 1923 in Dublin to James Egan and Christian O'Donnell. He attended Blackrock College and received a degree from University College Dublin. He attended the King's Inns to train to become a barrister.[2][3]
Legal career
He was called to the bar in 1945 and became a senior counsel in 1962.[2][4] He spent the early part of his career practising on the Western Circuit.[5]
Between 1963 and 1964, he acted for Gladys Ryan in the case of Ryan v. The Attorney General, challenging the constitutionality of the fluoridation of water in Ireland.[6][7] Though she was unsuccessful, the case established the right to bodily integrity under the Constitution of Ireland and developed the principles of unenumerated rights.[8] In 1979, he represented Francis McGirl who was acquitted of the murder of Louis Mountbatten.[9]
Judicial career
High Court
He made his judicial declaration of office to become a judge of the High Court on 2 July 1984.[10]
In addition to his duties in the High Court, he began presiding over trials in the Special Criminal Court in 1988.[11]
Supreme Court
Egan was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ireland in 1991.[2] He was one of five judges who decided the X Case in 1992, allowing the appeal of the girl, and in 1995 he issued a dissenting opinion in Re. a Ward of Court where he held that the removal of a tube providing food to a woman would be equivalent to killing her.[4][12] He also wrote a dissent in a case involving Patricia McKenna challenging the constitutionality of the government's campaigning for the Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland.[13]
He retired on 30 November 1995.[11] He was replaced by Donal Barrington.[14]
Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal
Following his retirement, he was appointed to chair the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal.[15]
Personal life
Egan was married to Ada Leahy with whom he had seven children.[2] He built a house on Shrewsbury Road which he sold in 1989.[16] He died in January 2004 at the age of 80. His removal was attended by the Chief Justice Ronan Keane, the Attorney General Rory Brady and the aide-de-camp to the President.[17]
References
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