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Donal O'Donnell
Donal O’Donnell, 2022 (cropped).jpg
O'Donnell in 2022
13th Chief Justice of Ireland
Assumed office
11 October 2021
Nominated by Government of Ireland
Appointed by Michael D. Higgins
Preceded by Frank Clarke
Judge of the Supreme Court
Assumed office
20 January 2010
Nominated by Government of Ireland
Appointed by Mary McAleese
Personal details
Born
Donal Gerard O'Donnell

(1957-10-25) 25 October 1957 (age 67)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Nationality Irish
Spouse
Mary Rose Binchy
(m. 1992)
Children 4
Parent Turlough O'Donnell
Education St. Mary's School
Alma mater

Donal Gerard O'Donnell was born on October 25, 1957. He is an important Irish judge. Since October 2021, he has been the Chief Justice of Ireland. This is the highest judicial role in the country. Before that, he was a Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland starting in January 2010. For many years, from 1982 to 2010, he worked as a barrister. A barrister is a type of lawyer who argues cases in court. He was very good at cases about business law and public law.

Early Life and Education

Donal O'Donnell was born in Belfast in 1957. He went to school at St. Mary's Christian Brothers' Grammar School, Belfast. After that, he studied at University College Dublin, King's Inns, and the University of Virginia in the United States.

He comes from a family of lawyers. His father, Turlough O'Donnell, was also a judge. He served on the High Court and the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland for many years.

Working as a Lawyer

Donal O'Donnell became a barrister in Ireland in 1982. Later, in 1989, he also became a barrister in Northern Ireland. In 1995, he became a Senior Counsel. This means he was a very experienced and respected lawyer.

He worked in courts all over Ireland, Northern Ireland, and even in European courts. He was known for his knowledge of constitutional law. This is the law that deals with the rules for how a country is governed. He often represented the Irish government in these types of cases.

Mr. O'Donnell also worked on business cases. For example, he helped tobacco companies with advertising rules. He also worked on a case about the copyright of famous writer James Joyce. He handled cases about companies, jobs, and contracts too.

From 2005 to 2012, he was a member of the Law Reform Commission. This group helps to update and improve Ireland's laws.

Becoming a Judge

In 2010, Donal O'Donnell was chosen to be a judge on the Supreme Court of Ireland. This is the highest court in Ireland. It's quite rare for a lawyer to be appointed directly to the Supreme Court without first being a judge in a lower court.

As a Supreme Court judge, he was known for his clear writing. He also had a reputation for being fair and open-minded in his decisions. Sometimes, he would write judgments with other judges. He also sometimes gave the government time to fix a law before it was officially declared unconstitutional.

Chief Justice of Ireland

In May 2021, the government chose Donal O'Donnell to become the 13th Chief Justice of Ireland. This is the most important judge in the country. He officially started this role on October 11, 2021. President Michael D. Higgins appointed him at a special ceremony.

Personal Life

Donal O'Donnell is married to Mary Rose Binchy, who is an artist. They have four children together.

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