Donal Barrington

Donal Barrington
Judge of the Supreme Court
In office
1 June 1996 – 24 June 2000
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMary Robinson
Judge of the European Court of Justice
In office
21 June 1989 – 27 May 1996
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byEuropean Council
Judge of the High Court
In office
14 March 1979 – 20 June 1989
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byPatrick Hillery
Personal details
Born(1928-02-28)28 February 1928
Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland
Died3 January 2018(2018-01-03) (aged 89)
Merrion Road, Dublin, Ireland
Spouse
Eileen Barrington
(m. 1959)
Children4
Alma materUniversity College Dublin

Donal Patrick Michael Barrington (28 February 1928 – 3 January 2018) was an Irish judge who served as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1996 to 2000, a Judge of the European Court of Justice from 1989 to 1996 and a Judge of the High Court from 1979 to 1989.[1][2]

He was known to be an advocate for progressive policies, he was also the first President of the Irish Human Rights Commission.[3]

As a barrister, he was a key advocate for social change. He successfully represented Mary McGee, in the landmark 1973 case over the ban on importing contraceptives in Ireland, in which the Supreme Court ruled that the ban infringed on married couples' right to privacy.[4] He was appointed a High Court judge in 1979 and subsequently a judge of the Court of First Instance of the Court of Justice of the European Communities in 1989.[5]

  1. ^ Conniff, James (1994). The Useful Cobbler: Edmund Burke and the Politics of Progress. SUNY Press. p. 301. ISBN 9780791418437. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  2. ^ Carswell, Simon (3 January 2018). "Ex-judge and 'barrister to underdog' Donal Barrington dies". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  3. ^ Finn, Christina (6 January 2018). "'Liberal' barrister fought game changer case that overturned the ban on importing contraceptives". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  4. ^ Keena, Colm (6 January 2018). "Donal Barrington saw Constitution as 'living document,' funeral hears". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Mr. Justice Donal Barrington". Belvedere College Union. Retrieved 9 April 2019.