Brian Walsh

Who was Brian Walsh?

Brian Walsh was an Irish supreme court and European Court of Human Rights justice and barrister.

Described as the "outstanding legal reforming mind of his generation" by Prof. JJ Lee, Walsh is seen as a reforming judge who sat on such key cases as Byrne v Ireland - unconstitutionality of state immunity in tort; McGee v Attorney General - right to marital privacy and contraceptives; Crotty v An Taoiseach - ratification of EU treaties.

Outside the bench, Walsh was the president of the Law Reform Commission from 1975–85 and led the Irish delegation to the Anglo-Irish Law Enforcement Commission.