The Chief Justice, Mr Justice John Murray, yesterday paid tribute to Ms Justice Mella Carroll, who died at the weekend.
At the time of her retirement, Ms Justice Carroll had completed "25 years of formidable service to the State", he said. She was only the second woman to be called to the Inner Bar in Ireland in 1976 and was the only woman to be elected chairperson of the Bar Council.
"As a judge of the High Court for a quarter of a century, in trying every kind of case to come before that court, she brought to bear her formidable intellectual capacity, moral rigour and deep sense of fairness, not to omit her unfailing courtesy and good sense of humour," he said.
Speaking in the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice said that Ms Justice Carroll had distinguished herself in a remarkable way by the quality of her judicial reasoning and through her invaluable contribution to the development of the law.
"These were personal qualities which also stood to her in the tremendous stoicism and morale which she displayed in dealing with the illness which has led to her passing," he said.
She was one of our modern leaders who had made a major contribution to the evolution of our contemporary society.
Ms Justice Carroll's remains will be taken from Fanagan's Funeral Home in Aungier Street, Dublin, this evening, arriving at the Church of the Holy Name, Ranelagh, at 5.30pm.
After a funeral mass tomorrow at 10am her remains will be brought to St Finian's Church, Waterville, Co Kerry, for burial in the adjoining cemetery on Thursday.
