Donal O'Donnell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Donal O'Donnell
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O'Donnell in 2022
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| 13th Chief Justice of Ireland | |
| Assumed office 11 October 2021 |
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| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Michael D. Higgins |
| Preceded by | Frank Clarke |
| Judge of the Supreme Court | |
| Assumed office 20 January 2010 |
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| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Mary McAleese |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Donal Gerard O'Donnell
25 October 1957 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Spouse |
Mary Rose Binchy
(m. 1992) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent | Turlough O'Donnell |
| Education | St. Mary's School |
| Alma mater |
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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.
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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.
