Adrian Hardiman

The Hon. Mr. Justice Adrian Hardiman
Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland
In office 7 February 2000 – 7 March 2016
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Appointed by	Mary McAleese
Succeeded by	TBD
Personal details
Born	21 May 1951 Dublin, Ireland
Died	7 March 2016 (aged 64) Dublin, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Spouse(s)	Yvonne Murphy
Alma mater	Belvedere College, UCD, King's Inns
Occupation	Judge, Barrister

Adrian Hardiman (21 May 1951 – 7 March 2016) was a judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland from 7 February 2000 until his death on 7 March 2016. In a tribute following his death, President Michael D. Higgins said Mr. Justice Hardiman “was one of the great legal minds of his generation,” who was “always committed to the ideals of public service”. He was described as a "colossus of the legal world" by Chief Justice Susan Denham.

One commentator wrote that "Hardiman’s greatest contribution ...was the steadfast defence of civil liberties and individual rights" and that "He was a champion of defendants’ rights and a bulwark against any attempt by an Garda Síochána to abuse its powers".

He received the rare honour of being appointed directly from the Bar to Ireland's highest court. Prior to his elevation to the Supreme Court, he had a successful practice as a barrister, focusing on criminal law and defamation, after being called to the Irish bar in 1974.

He was born on 21 May 1951 in Coolock, Dublin. His father was a teacher and President of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI).

Educated at Belvedere College, Dublin and University College Dublin (where he studied history) and Kings Inns. He was president of the Student Representative Council at UCD and Auditor of the Literary and Historical Society (University College Dublin) and won The Irish Times National Debating Championship in 1973.

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