Colm Condon facts for kids

Colm Patrick Condon (born July 16, 1921 – died August 9, 2008) was an important Irish lawyer. He served as the Attorney General of Ireland from 1965 to 1973. This job meant he was the main legal advisor to the Irish government.

He held this important role during the start of a difficult time in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles, in the late 1960s.

Who Was Colm Condon?

Colm Condon was a highly respected lawyer in Ireland. He worked for the government as its chief legal expert. His work involved advising leaders and helping to create new laws.

Early Life and Family

Colm Patrick Condon was born on July 16, 1921, in Ashbourne, County Meath, Ireland. He was the third child in his family. His father, Thomas Condon, was an accountant. He was also involved in Irish politics and was a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Thomas Condon had taken part in the 1916 Easter Rising, an important event in Irish history.

Colm's mother was Margaret McGuire, who worked as a teacher in Ashbourne. His father also served briefly as a Senator for the Fianna Fáil political party. He was also a member of the Meath County Council.

Becoming a Lawyer

Colm Condon went to school at Terenure College in Dublin. After that, he studied at University College Dublin. He became a lawyer, which is called being "called to the Bar," in 1944. This meant he could officially work as a barrister, arguing cases in court.

He became a "senior counsel" in 1959. This title is given to experienced barristers who are experts in their field. He often worked on cases involving defamation (harming someone's reputation) and personal injury.

Top Legal Advisor for Ireland

In 1965, Colm Condon was chosen to be the Attorney General of Ireland. This is a very important position. He advised the head of the government, known as the Taoiseach. He first served under Taoiseach Seán Lemass.

He continued in the role when Jack Lynch became Taoiseach. Colm Condon held this top legal job for eight years, until 1973.

Important Cases and Laws

As Attorney General, Colm Condon was involved in many significant legal matters. He represented the Irish government in a famous case in 1970. This case was known as the Arms Trial. It involved a person who later became Taoiseach, Charles Haughey.

In 1972, Colm Condon helped to write the laws that created the Special Criminal Court. This court was set up to deal with very serious crimes.

Later Life

Years later, in 1997, Colm Condon appeared before the Moriarty Tribunal. This was a public inquiry looking into certain matters.

Colm Condon was married twice and had four children. He had two sons, Colm and Eoin, and two daughters, Stephanie and Carolyn, from his first marriage. He passed away on August 9, 2008, at the age of 87.