Tom O'Higgins

Tom O'Higgins
6th Chief Justice of Ireland
In office
17 October 1974 – 1 October 1985
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byErskine H. Childers
Preceded byWilliam FitzGerald
Succeeded byThomas Finlay
Judge of the European Court of Justice
In office
3 October 1985 – 8 March 1991
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byEuropean Council
Judge of the Supreme Court
In office
14 May 1974 – 1 October 1985
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byErskine H. Childers
Judge of the High Court
In office
30 July 1973 – 14 May 1974
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byErskine H. Childers
Deputy leader of Fine Gael
In office
20 April 1972 – 14 September 1977
LeaderLiam Cosgrave
Preceded byNew office
Succeeded byPeter Barry
Minister for Health
In office
2 June 1954 – 20 March 1957
TaoiseachJohn A. Costello
Preceded byJames Ryan
Succeeded bySeán MacEntee
Teachta Dála
In office
June 1969 – February 1973
ConstituencyDublin County South
In office
February 1948 – June 1969
ConstituencyLaois-Offaly
Personal details
Born(1916-07-23)23 July 1916
Cork, Ireland
Died25 February 2003(2003-02-25) (aged 86)
Dublin, Ireland
Resting placeShanganagh Cemetery, Shankill, Dublin, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse
Therese Keane
(m. 1940)
Children7
Parent
Relatives
Education
Alma mater

Thomas Francis O'Higgins (23 July 1916 – 25 February 2003) was an Irish Fine Gael politician, barrister and judge who served as Chief Justice of Ireland and a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1974 to 1985, a Judge of the European Court of Justice from 1985 to 1991, a Judge of the High Court from 1973 to 1974, Deputy leader of Fine Gael from 1972 to 1977 and Minister for Health from 1954 to 1957. He also served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1948 to 1969.[1]

Part of a new generation of Fine Gael leaders who emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, O'Higgins worked alongside Declan Costello and Garret FitzGerald to liberalise the conservative Fine Gael.[2][3] In the late 1960s, and early 1970s, O'Higgins twice contested the presidency of Ireland for his party; in his first attempt in 1966, he lost by 1% of the vote against incumbent President Éamon de Valera. In the aftermath, his personal image was greatly enhanced and he was catapulted into the position of deputy leader of Fine Gael. Despite being the initial favourite to win, O'Higgins lost the 1973 Irish presidential election to Erskine H. Childers.[2]

In 1973, O'Higgins became a High Court judge and the following year was named Chief Justice of Ireland and a Supreme Court judge. Although a liberal politician, O'Higgins was considered by many a conservative judge, given his rulings on matters such as contraceptives and homosexuality. In 1985, O'Higgins became a member of the European Court of Justice following his nomination by Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald and his government. He served on the court in Luxembourg until his retirement in 1991.[2]

  1. ^ "Thomas O'Higgins". Oireachtas Members Database. 13 December 1972. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference DIB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "A Life of Service". The Irish Times. 26 February 2003. Retrieved 7 December 2022. Regarded as a radical politician within conservative-leaning Fine Gael, he supported the Just Society policies published by Mr Justice Declan Costello in the mid-1960s and made common cause with Dr Garret FitzGerald and others who sought to modernise the party.