Mary Finlay Geoghegan facts for kids

Mary Finlay Geoghegan (born in 1949) is a retired Irish judge and lawyer. She was appointed to the High Court in 2002. Later, she became a judge in the new Court of Appeal in 2014. From 2017, she served as a judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland before she retired in 2019.

Finlay Geoghegan was an expert in commercial law. This type of law deals with business and trade. She first worked as a solicitor in a company law firm. Then, she became a barrister, handling many different business and civil cases. She also held temporary positions at the European Court of Human Rights and the Referendum Commission.

Early Life and Education

Mary Finlay was born to Thomas Finlay and Alice Blayney. She was the oldest of five children. Her father, Thomas Finlay, was a very important judge. He was the Chief Justice of Ireland from 1985 to 1994. Her grandfather, also named Thomas Finlay, was a politician. Mary's mother became a lawyer in 1946, but she did not practice law. Her uncle, John Blayney, also became a Supreme Court judge.

Mary went to school at Sacred Heart Convent in Monkstown, Dublin. She then studied at University College Dublin (UCD). There, she earned top grades in Mathematics and Mathematical Physics. At UCD, she played for the university's hockey team. She was also a champion in diving for the Leinster region.

In 1970, at age 21, she became the first female leader of the UCD L&H. She described herself as a "logical person" because of her math background. Another future Supreme Court judge, Adrian Hardiman, was on her committee.

After UCD, she attended the Law Society of Ireland. She also studied for a special course in European Union law at the College of Europe, Bruges. She received a scholarship for this study.

Legal Career

Becoming a Lawyer

Mary Finlay became a solicitor in 1973. A solicitor is a lawyer who advises clients and prepares legal documents. She worked at a firm called McCann, FitzGerald, Roche and Dudley, where she became a partner.

In 1980, she became a barrister. A barrister is a lawyer who represents clients in court. She worked on cases involving business, injunctions, and financial problems. She even represented the Irish government in a big case about the collapse of an insurance company in 1985. She also became a barrister in England and Wales in 1987.

Senior Counsel and Other Roles

Mary Finlay Geoghegan became a Senior Counsel in 1988. This is a special title for experienced barristers. She also became a barrister in Northern Ireland in 1989 and in New South Wales, Australia, in 1992. She continued to work on business cases, including those about employment and taxes. She also handled cases about immigration and personal injuries.

She advised the Irish government on European Union law in 1996. She also represented the Attorney General of Ireland in important cases before the Supreme Court. These cases involved new laws and how they fit with the Constitution of Ireland. She also represented RTÉ, the national broadcaster, in cases about fair coverage during referendums.

She has been a special member, called a bencher, at the King's Inns since 1996. She has also been a bencher at Middle Temple in London since 2012.

Other Important Positions

Mary Finlay Geoghegan held several other important roles. In 1976, she was chosen to lead the National Consumer Advisory Council. She was also a board member for the Dublin Gas Board and two hospitals: the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and the Temple Street Children's University Hospital. She was the chairperson of Temple Street Children's University Hospital from 2001 to 2004.

From 1980, she was a part-time member of the Law Reform Commission. This group helps to improve and update laws. She also helped lead the Constitution Review Group starting in 1995.

Today, she is a board member of the National Children's Research Centre. She is also a governor of the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook.

Judicial Career

High Court Judge

In July 2002, Mary Finlay Geoghegan was appointed to the High Court. She followed in her father's footsteps, who was also a judge. In 2004, she was assigned to the Commercial list. This meant she heard cases about business. She and another judge, Peter Kelly, were the first judges to work in the new Commercial Court. This court handles complex business cases involving large amounts of money. She also managed cases related to company examinations and international child abduction.

She served as a temporary judge at the European Court of Human Rights from 2009 to 2010.

Court of Appeal Judge

In 2014, a new court was created in Ireland called the Court of Appeal. Mary Finlay Geoghegan was one of the first six judges appointed to this new court. She also helped plan how this new court would work before it was set up.

She was chosen to lead the Referendum Commission for the 31st Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland. This commission helps to explain proposed changes to the constitution to the public.

Supreme Court Judge

On November 7, 2017, the Government of Ireland chose her to be a judge of the Supreme Court. The President of Ireland officially appointed her on December 1, 2017.

Mary Finlay Geoghegan retired as a judge on June 16, 2019. The Chief Justice, Frank Clarke, praised her work. He said her contributions were "meticulous and firm" and showed "deep humanity." After her retirement, she shared her belief that Ireland needed more judges to ensure justice was handled properly.

Personal Life

Mary Finlay married Hugh Geoghegan in 1981. He was also a judge, serving in the High Court and later the Supreme Court. Hugh Geoghegan's father, James Geoghegan, was also a Supreme Court judge.

Mary Finlay Geoghegan and Hugh Geoghegan have two daughters and one son. Their son, James, is a barrister and a member of the Dublin City Council. He was also a candidate for the Fine Gael political party in a special election in 2021.