President Michael D Higgins
has led tributes to the late
Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman
, saying his loss to Ireland and to law would be enormous.
The President described the Supreme Court judge (64) as one of the great legal minds of his generation and “a proud and patriotic Irishman”.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he was shocked and saddened to hear the news. He said the judge was "one of the great legal minds of his generation".
“As well as his enormous contribution to our judicial system, he had a love of our language, a huge interest in history and politics and was also a published writer and broadcaster,” he said.
He extended condolences to Mr Justice Hardiman’s family on behalf of the Government and the Irish people.
The sudden death of the judge has shocked the Irish legal fraternity.
Towering intellect
His colleagues in the
Association of Judges of Ireland
, which he helped establish in 2011, described him as “ a towering intellect” and “a great legal mind”.
"He was a formidable lawyer in practice and, following his direct appointment to the Supreme Court, was a fiercely independent and highly respected judge, whose contribution to Irish jurisprudence over his many years on the bench has been enormous," secretary of the organisation, Mr Justice John Edwards said.
During the first three years of the association, Mr Justice Hardiman was a Supreme Court representative on the association’s executive committee, and played “a very active role in our deliberations and activities,” he added.
“He did not seek re-election at the end of his three-year term as he wished to concentrate on his significant burden of work in the Supreme Court,” Mr Justice Edwards said. He extended the association’s sympathy and condolences to the Hardiman family.
“We will miss him greatly both as a friend and as a colleague,” he said.
David Banville SC, chairman of the Bar Council, said he was “a colossus at the Bar and on the Supreme Court”.
He extended sympathies to his family and said the judge was arguably the leading advocate of his generation and one of Ireland’s finest jurists.
“While on the Supreme Court he sat on nearly every significant constitutional case heard by that court, leaving an indelible mark on Irish history,” Mr Banville said. He was also “unfailingly generous with his time and knowledge and took enormous pride in mentoring new barristers and students”.
Director-general of the Law Society Ken Murphy said the Irish people had lost “a fierce protector of their rights against any over-reaching by the power of the State”.
“As one of the most brilliant barristers of his generation, he was a powerful, punchy and highly persuasive advocate,” he said.
“Fearless, fluent and articulate, he could think on his feet to handle with ease whatever was thrown at him.”
Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald described the judge as a “fearless defender of the Constitution” and “a man of extraordinary intellectual ability who made an enormous contribution”.
“He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him,” she said.
Tánaiste Joan Burton said he was a significant figure in Irish public life, and “ a liberal voice on many social issues”.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he was “known for his great intellect and wit”, and was one of the outstanding lawyers of his generation.
