Liam Hamilton
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| Chief Justice of Ireland | |
| In office Template:En dash range | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Mary Robinson |
| Preceded by | Thomas Finlay |
| Succeeded by | Ronan Keane |
| Judge of the Supreme Court | |
| In office Template:En dash range | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Mary Robinson |
| President of the High Court | |
| In office Template:En dash range | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Patrick Hillery |
| Preceded by | Thomas Finlay |
| Succeeded by | Harry Whelehan |
| Judge of the High Court | |
| In office Template:En dash range | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Patrick Hillery |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Script error: No such module "person date". Mitchelstown, County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | Script error: No such module "person date". Donnybrook, Dublin, Ireland |
| Resting place | Shanganagh Cemetery, Shankill, Dublin, Ireland |
| Party | Labour Party |
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Maeve Hamilton
(m. 1948) |
| Children | 3 |
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Liam Hamilton (8 September 1928 – 29 November 2000) was an Irish judge and barrister who served as Chief Justice of Ireland and a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1994 to 2000, President of the High Court from 1985 to 1994 and a Judge of the High Court from 1974 to 1994.[1]
Early life
He was born in Mitchelstown, County Cork, to Richard Hamilton and Mary Ellen Hamilton (née Lyons).[2][3] He was educated at C.B.S. Mitchelstown, University College Dublin and King's Inns. He initially worked as a civil servant and was called to the Bar in 1956 and to the Inner Bar in 1968.[1][3][4]
Legal career
As a barrister, he acted for Neil Blaney when Blaney and Charles Haughey were charged with conspiracy to import arms in 1970. He was a member of the Labour Party and acted as its legal advisor.
Judicial career
After the Labour Party formed a coalition government with Fine Gael in 1973, he was appointed a High Court judge.[3] He was one of the key members of the judiciary who made findings against Nicky Kelly and others and in support of the State in what became one of the State's most infamous miscarriages of justice.[5]
He was regarded as sociable and visited former legal colleagues after becoming a judge.[3][4][6] In 1985, on the nomination of the Labour Party, he was appointed President of the High Court, where he was successful in reforming procedures and clearing a backlog of cases.[citation needed]
He was the sole member of a tribunal of inquiry established by the government in 1991 to investigate allegations of illegal activity, fraud and malpractice in the beef processing industry, known as the Beef Tribunal, which sat from 1991 to 1994.[1][3][4] Shortly after the report of the tribunal, he was nominated as Chief Justice. In 1999, he was asked by Minister for Justice John O'Donoghue to investigate the Philip Sheedy Affair.[3][4]
On retirement as Chief Justice in 2000, he was appointed to the enquiry into the 1974 Dublin, Monaghan and Dundalk bombings, but stepped down on health grounds. He died on 29 November 2000.[1][7]
References
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- ^ a b c d Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Former Chief Justices". Supreme Court of Ireland. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.MacMenamin, John. "Hamilton, Liam". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Chief Justice who presided over beef tribunal and whose inquiry led to the resignation of two judges". The Irish Times. Dublin. 2 December 2000. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Judge beat odds to gain highest office". The Irish Times. Dublin. 31 January 2000. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Patsy McGarry, 29 January 2022, 'Judiciary – not just gardaí – face questions about past actions', The Irish Times, https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/judiciary-not-just-gardai-face-questions-about-past-actions-1.4788124
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Maddock, John (3 December 2000). "Large attendance at funeral Mass of former Chief Justice Hamilton". Irish Independent. Dublin. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Former Chief Justice, Mr Justice Liam Hamilton, dies". RTE. Dublin. 30 November 2000. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
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