Donnell Deeny

Sir Donnell Justin Patrick Deeny (born 25 April 1950), styled as The Hon Mr Justice Deeny is Chancery Judge in the High Court of Northern Ireland.

Born in Lurgan, Deeny was educated at Clongowes Wood College, Trinity College, Dublin and Queen's University, Belfast. During his time in Trinity College he acted as Auditor of the College Historical Society, the oldest undergraduate debating society in the world. He was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 1974 and took silk in March 1989. He was also called to the Bar in the Republic of Ireland (SC 1996), and in England (as a bencher in the Middle Temple). Deeny was appointed a High Court Judge on 6 September 2004, and was knighted some months afterwards.

He was appointed in 2000 to the UK Government's Spoliation Advisory Panel, which advises on claims relating to cultural objects lost during the Nazi era. He served two further terms before becoming chairman of the Panel in April 2010.

Deeny had served as an Alliance Party Councillor on Belfast City Council in 1981-85, and was High Sheriff of Belfast in 1983.

Deeny was a member of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland in 1991-94, and its chairman 1994-98. In 1986 he became President of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society.

He was elected as the 56th Pro-Chancellor of the University of Dublin in 2014.