John Blayney

John Blayney KSG
Judge of the Supreme Court
In office 9 January 1992 – 21 March 1997
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Appointed by	Mary Robinson
Judge of the High Court
In office 24 July 1973 – 8 January 1992
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Appointed by	Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh
Personal details
Born	(1925-03-13)13 March 1925 Dublin, Ireland
Died	17 June 2018(2018-06-17) (aged 93) Dublin, Ireland
Spouse	Bernadette Boullier ​ (m. 1953)​
Relations	Thomas Finlay (brother-in-law) Mary Finlay Geoghegan (niece) Tony Ensor (nephew)
Children	6
Education	Belvedere College Glenstal Abbey School
Alma mater	University College Dublin King's Inns

John Joseph Blayney (13 March 1925 – 17 June 2018) was an Irish rugby player, barrister and judge who served a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1992 to 1997 and a Judge of the High Court from 1973 to 1992.^[1][2][3]

John Blayney was the son of Alexander Joseph Blayney, who was a prominent Dublin surgeon at Mater Hospital.^[4]

On 12 December 1991, he was nominated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland by Taoiseach Charles Haughey. On 9 January 1992, he was appointed to the position by President Mary Robinson.^[5] Upon retirement from a long legal career, his position on the bench was filled by Judge Henry Denis Barron.^[6] During his retirement, he acted as chairman to the Blayney Inquiry into the "professional and business conduct" of a number of major Irish accountants and accounting firms.^[7][8]

Blayney has, on several occasions, sat on the bench for the European Court of Human Rights.^[9]

Blayney played rugby union for Ireland, earning one cap in 1950 in which he ran a 40-yard try against a Scottish side.^[10][11][12]

References

1. "BLAYNEY, Mr. Justice John : Death notice – Irish Times Family Notices". notices.irishtimes.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
2. "John Joseph Blayney". ESPN scrum. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
3. "Current Members". Archived from the original on 5 October 2014.
4. "Blayney, Alexander Joseph Mcauley" . Thom's Irish Who's Who . Dublin: Alexander Thom and Son Ltd. 1923. p. 18  – via Wikisource.
5. "Former Judges of the Supreme Court". Supremecourt.ie. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
6. Prof. Dr. Axel Tschentscher, LL.M. "ICL – Ireland Index". Servat.unibe.ch. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
7. "Blayney Inquiry – Accountancy Ireland". Accountancyireland.ie. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
8. "ICAI appoints former Supreme Court judge to head its inquiry". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
9. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Refworld | Keegan v. Ireland". UNHCR. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
10. "John Blayney | Rugby Union | Players and Officials". ESPN Scrum. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
11. Weight Loss (28 March 1998). "Court to clear way for trawl at NIB – National News". Independent.ie. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
12. "Judge who stayed in public eye". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 20 June 2018.