Cause of death Short illness Name Henry Barron Nationality Irish Role Judge | Occupation Judge Spouse Rosalind Barron Years active 1951–2000 | |
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Born 25 May 1928 ( 1928-05-25 ) Alma mater Castle Park School, Dalkey, County Dublin,
Saint Columba's College, Rathfarnham, County Dublin,
Trinity College, Dublin Known for Granting Ireland's first divorce (1997); investigation into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings Died February 25, 2010, Dublin, Republic of Ireland Education Trinity College, Dublin, St Columba's College, Dublin | ||
Resting place Dolphin's Barn, Dublin | ||
Henry Barron (25 May 1928 – 25 February 2010) was an Irish judge. He sat on the Supreme Court of Ireland from 1997 until his retirement in 2000. He was the first Jew to hold this position.
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Prior to this he spent 15 years as a judge of the High Court. Justice Barron was also noted for granting the Republic of Ireland's first divorce in 1997. He was President of the Irish Jewish Museum.
Career
Barron attended Castle Park School in Dalkey, County Dublin before progressing to Saint Columba's College, Rathfarnham. He studied at third level in Trinity College, Dublin. Upon his departure in 1950 Barron scored first class honours and was awarded a moderatorship in legal science. In 1951 he began the Bar and silk followed nineteen years later.
Barron was a High Court judge for fifteen years, beginning this job in 1982. In 1997 he granted the state's first divorce prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court in the same year. He was the first Jewish person ever appointed to the Irish Supreme Court.
Retirement and Barron Report
Justice Barron retired in 2000. He was then commissioned to investigate the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings and took over from Justice Liam Hamilton who departed 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 stop it from happening. 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 at 12:15 on 26 February 2010.
After his death tributes were made by politicians and campaigners for justice: