Henry Barron (judge)

Career

Barron attended Castle Park School in Dalkey, Dublin, before progressing to Saint Columba's College, Rathfarnham. He studied at third level in Trinity College Dublin, leaving in 1950, he scored first class honours and was awarded a moderatorship in legal science. In 1951, he began the Bar and silk followed nineteen years later.

In 1982, he was nominated by the government of Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald to become a judge of the High Court. He served on the High Court for fifteen years. In 1997, Taoiseach John Bruton and the 24th Government of Ireland nominated Judge Barron as a judge of the Supreme Court. Upon his appointment to the court, he granted the state's first divorce. He was the first Jew ever appointed to the Irish Supreme Court.

Retirement and Barron Report

Judge Barron retired in 2000. He was then commissioned to investigate the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings and Judge Liam Hamilton replaced him in the Supreme Court. He retired from the bench 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 presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice in December 2003, was highly critical of the investigation into the bombings by both the Fine Gael-Labour government and the Gardaí, and stated they might have made a better attempt to catch those responsible. He did not lay any definitive blame on the British Government.

Death

Barron died at the age of 81 in St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, on 25 February 2010, having been unwell for a short time. His wife Rosalind had predeceased him by 13 years. 2 sons (Harrie & Robert), 2 daughters (Jane & Anne) and 10 grandchildren outlived him. Barron's funeral took place at Dolphin's Barn's Jewish cemetery on 26 February 2010.

After his death tributes were made by politicians and campaigners for justice:

References

References

1. (3 March 2010). "Respected judge who led bomb inquiries". [[The Irish Times]].
2. [http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/040409/odyssey.shtml Jewish life in Dublin] {{webarchive. link. (6 July 2008)
3. (26 February 2010). "Former Supreme Court judge dies". [[The Irish Times]].
4. (26 February 2010). "Dublin-Monaghan bombs investigator Judge Barron dies". [[BBC]].
5. [http://www.village.ie/Society/Justice/Dublin_and_Monaghan_bombings:_Cover-up_and_incompetence/ Dublin and Monaghan bombings: Cover-up and incompetence, by Joe Tiernan] – ''[[Village (magazine). The Village]]'', Wednesday, 2 May 2007 {{Dead link. (November 2012)
6. (26 February 2010). "Former Supreme Court judge Henry Barron dies". [[RTÉ]].
7. (26 February 2010). "In Short: Former judge of Supreme Court Henry Barron dies". [[The Irish Times]].
8. (26 February 2010). "Taoiseach leads tributes after judge Barron dies". [[Irish Independent]].
9. (26 February 2010). "Tributes to 'truth-seeking' judge". [[Irish Independent]].