Dympna Cusack: DYMPNA CUSACK, who has died aged 59, was a District Court judge, family court lawyer and former activist with the Progressive Democrats.
She entered the legal profession in her mid-30s, having first given priority to raising a family. That experience was brought to bear on her practice as a barrister, and she was much admired for her mature judgment, intelligence and integrity. A fellow judge described her as a star given too short a time to shine, while colleagues spoke of her rare ability to understand the complexity of human relationships, as well as arcane points of law.
As an only child, who was born in Dublin and grew up in Clontarf, she always placed a high value on family. She was just nine years old when her father died, and while in secondary school her mother became seriously ill.
On leaving Maryfield College, Drumcondra, she worked for a short time as a dental assistant before taking up employment as a laboratory technician at UCD’s Faculty of Agriculture.
In 1972, she married Paul Cusack, who later became principal of the College of Amenity Horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin.
When the youngest of their children was five years old, she set out to fulfil a wish to become a barrister. At the King’s Inns, she was a class representative and auditor of the debating society. She was called to the Bar in 1986, and became a well-known family law practitioner. She served for two years on the Bar Council, and was for six years a member of the education committee of King’s Inns.
She was a member of the Refugees Appeals Commission for three years, and from 1998 she served for six years as the vice-chair of the Employment Appeals Tribunal.
She was made a judge of the District Court in December 2006.
In both her career and her personal life, nothing was faced without questioning, debate, common sense and outspoken opinion, without fear of reactive comment. Humour infiltrated the most serious of issues which dispelled the tension of the moment. She had no time for pomposity, pretence or undeserved loyalty, and was quick to suggest to people that they were in danger of “losing the run of themselves” when appropriate.
A keen observer of current affairs, she became a member of the PDs in the party’s earliest days. She was a former chairperson of the Dublin South constituency, and served for a time on the party’s national executive.
Although a close confidante of many senior politicians in that party, she also won friends and admirers from across the political spectrum for her engagement in policy ideas.
In a eulogy at her funeral, her friend John Hynes, former secretary general at the Department of Social and Family Affairs, spoke of her “tremendous enthusiasm for life and for making the most of life”. He added: “She was a strong-minded, no-nonsense person, full of mental energy, and always interested in solving problems and in helping other people to solve their particular problems.”
She died after an illness faced with considerable courage.
She is survived by her husband Paul, sons Peter and John and daughter Julie.
Dympna Cusack (née Keogh): born July 18th, 1950; died October 17th, 2009