Judge who enjoyed life to the full mourned

LARGE NUMBERS from the judiciary and the legal profession joined the family and friends of Mr Justice Kevin Haugh to mourn his passing yesterday.

The congregation at his funeral in the Church of the Sacred Heart in Donnybrook heard that he was a “remarkable man who lived a remarkable life”.

Mr Justice Haugh (64) died suddenly at his Dublin home on Thursday.

The High Court judge had almost finished his term as first chairman of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, and was due to return to the bench.

Addressing the congregation, his son Bob remembered a “happy, gregarious, smiling person who was larger than life in every respect”. His father had “played hard, lived hard and enjoyed life to the full”.

He recalled an occasion when the judge was being rushed from Wexford to St Vincent’s hospital for a medical emergency and asked if there was time to stop for lunch at Avoca Handweavers.

There was a possibility he was at death’s door, but there was always time for a shepherd’s pie, Mr Haugh said.

Although he had separated from his wife Annette, Mr Haugh said his parents shared a “very strong mutual respect”.

Mr Justice Haugh is also survived by his daughters Sarah and Geraldine, sisters Clodagh, Brenda and Evelyn and brother Maurice.

Mr Haugh paid tribute to his father’s “fantastic friends” who were present, including High Court judge Mr Justice Paul Carney, retired judge Kieran O’Connor and senior counsels Hugh Hartnett and Ciarán Foley.

Mr Foley told mourners that Mr Justice Haugh had a brilliant mind with “an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law” but was also “quintessentially a proper gentleman”.

Chief celebrant Fr Pat Carroll welcomed the Taoiseach’s aide-de-camp, Capt Michael Treacy. The Government was also represented by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.

More than 50 members of the judiciary from the District, Circuit, High and Supreme courts were present, including the Chief Justice Mr Justice John Murray; High Court president Mr Justice Richard Johnson; and District Court president Judge Miriam Malone.

Supreme Court judges Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, Mrs Justice Susan Denham, Mr Justice Nial Fennelly, Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman and Mr Justice Hugh Geoghegan also attended.

The Department of Justice secretary general Seán Aylward was present as was the chief executive of the Courts Service, Brendan Ryan.

The Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy was among the mourners with his colleagues assistant commissioner Noreen O’Sullivan and chief superintendent Brendan Cloonan. Mr Justice Haugh’s fellow Garda Síochána Ombudsman (GSOC) commissioners Conor Brady and Carmel Foley were present with several GSOC colleagues.

Garda Representative Association president Michael O’Boyce and Defence Forces Ombudsman Paulyn Marrinan Quinn were among the mourners.