Kevin Lynch (judge)

Kevin Lynch (24 June 1927 – 31 October 2013) was an Irish judge and barrister who served as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1996 to 1999 and a Judge of the High Court from 1984 to 1996. In 1984, he was the sole member of the Kerry Babies tribunal.

Kevin Lynch
Judge of the Supreme Court
In office
15 April 1996 – 15 December 1999
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMary Robinson
Judge of the High Court
In office
24 January 1984 – 15 April 1996
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byPatrick Hillery
Personal details
Born(1927-06-24)24 June 1927
Dublin, Ireland
Died (aged 85)
Croom, County Limerick, Ireland
Spouse(s)Bernadette Lynch
(m. 1957; d. 2013)
Children5
Parent
EducationSt Mary's College, Dublin
Alma mater

Early life and career

Lynch was born in Dublin in 1927.[1][2] His father, Fionán Lynch, was a member of the First Dáil and a judge of the Circuit Court.[3]

He attended St. Mary's College, Dublin and received a degree from University College Dublin.[4] He attended the King's Inns where he won the John Brooke Scholarship.[1]

He was called to the bar in 1949, and became a senior counsel in 1970.[2] His practice was centred on the Midland circuit.[1]

Judicial career

High Court

Lynch became a judge of the High Court in 1984.[1][5] In December 1984, he was appointed the chair of the tribunal into the Kerry Babies case.[6] He was among three judges who sat in a divisional High Court which heard an unsuccessful challenge by Des Hanafin to result of the 1995 divorce referendum.[7] He heard the High Court hearing of Bula Ltd v Tara Mines Ltd (No 6) in 1996 which ran for 277 days.[2]

Supreme Court

Lynch was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ireland in April 1996.[8] He was delayed from first sitting on the court as the Bula case had not yet completed.[3]

He retired in December 1999.[4][9]

Personal life

He was married to Bernadette, with who he had five children.[10] He died at the age of 85 in a nursing home near Croom, County Limerick in 2013.[10]

References
  1. Hugh Geoghegan; Harry Whelehan; James Nugent (16 December 2013). "Mr Justice Kevin Lynch: An Appreciation". The Irish Times. p. 15.
  2. Gleeson, Colin (31 October 2013). "Retired Supreme Court judge Kevin Lynch dies". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 27 June 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  3. Kennedy, Geraldine (4 May 1996). "Supreme Court faces unprecedented change". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  4. "Mr Justice Lynch retires". The Irish Times. 18 December 1999. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  5. "New judge sworn in". The Irish Times. 25 January 1984. p. 8.
  6. "Dáil Éireann debate - Tuesday, 11 Dec 1984". Oireachtas.ie. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  7. "Hanafin fails to win delay on divorce vote challenge". The Irish Times. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  8. "Supreme and High Court judges appointed". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  9. "Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 March 2008". Oireachtas.ie. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  10. "A lovely, caring man who always got to the truth – judge's family bid farewell". Irish Independent. 5 November 2013. Archived from the original on 20 December 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
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