Up to 40 judges of the Supreme Cout, Court of Appeal and High Court gathered in the yard of the Four Courts on Wednesday to say farewell to High Court president Peter Kelly on his last day in that office.
The gathering included Ms Justice Mary Irvine of the Supreme Court, who was nominated by the Cabinet last week as the next president of the High Court, the third most senior judicial office. Mr Justice Kelly, who was called to the Bar in 1975 and was appointed a judge of the High Court in 1996, is a reluctant retiree but is compelled to retire on Wednesday evening because he turns 70 today.He will spend his final day dealing with wards of court matters in his chambers.
“His work in the wardship list, where justice, humanity and the law co-exist to vindicate the rights of the elderly and vulnerable, gave him particular fulfilment. This may say something about him.” Law Society director general Ken Murphy said Mr Justice Kelly was a “fearlessly independent judge with a ferocious work ethic, a first class legal mind, and an utter commitment to the highest of standards for himself and others”.