John L. Murray

For the US Congressman from Kentucky, see John L. Murray (representative).

The Hon. Mr. Justice John L. Murray
Chief Justice of Ireland
In office 23 July 2004 – July 2011
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Appointed by	Mary McAleese
Preceded by	Ronan Keane
Succeeded by	Susan Denham
Judge of the Supreme Court
In office 1999–2015
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Appointed by	Mary McAleese
Judge of the European Court of Justice
In office 1992–1999
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Attorney General
In office 11 March 1987 – 25 September 1991
Nominated by	Charles Haughey
Appointed by	Patrick Hillery
Preceded by	John Rogers
Succeeded by	Harry Whelehan
Attorney General
In office 17 August 1982 – 14 December 1982
Nominated by	Charles Haughey
Appointed by	Patrick Hillery
Preceded by	Patrick Connolly
Succeeded by	Peter Sutherland
Personal details
Born	1943 Limerick, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Alma mater	UCD, King's Inns
Profession	Judge, Barrister

John Loyola Murray (born 1943) is a former judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland and served as the Chief Justice of Ireland from 2004 to 2011.

Murray was born in Limerick in 1943 and educated at Crescent College, Limerick, Rockwell College, County Tipperary, University College Dublin, and the Honorable Society of King's Inns. He was President of the Union of Students in Ireland in 1966/67. He qualified as a barrister in 1967 and had a successful law practice dealing with commercial, civil, and constitutional law.

He has served on the Supreme Court since 1999, and before that was a member of the European Court of Justice prior to his appointment from 1992. He served the Fianna Fáil government as Attorney General of Ireland from 17 August to 14 December 1982. The Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, appointed him as Attorney General after his predecessor, Patrick Connolly, resigned abruptly over the GUBU scandal, when a murderer Malcolm McArthur was arrested in Connolly's Dalkey flat.

His next term in office as Attorney General extended from 11 March 1987 to 25 September 1991. In 1988 he refused to allow the extradition of Fr. Patrick Ryan to Britain on explosives charges dealing with the Provisional IRA on the basis that the trial he would be given would not be fair to due excessive media coverage and remarks made in Parliament by the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher which were considered prejudicial.

In 1991 he was appointed as a judge to the European Court of Justice serving until 1999 when he was appointed to the Supreme Court. He was appointed as Chief Justice of Ireland in 2004 and retired as Chief Justice in 2011, though he remains a member of the Supreme Court.

In 2011 Murray became involved in controversy with the Government over a proposal to amend the Constitution to allow the remuneration of judges to be reduced in parallel to the remuneration of public servants in State employment.

The criticisms of the Government's plans were contained in a 12-page critique by the Chief Justice, John Murray, and the President of the High Court, Nicholas Kearns and published in the Court Services website, but subsequently redacted at the request of the Government.

He is married to Gabrielle Walsh, daughter of Brian Walsh, a former Supreme Court judge.

In February 2012, he was appointed an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Limerick, a position he is to hold for two years. He retired in June 2015.

See also

• List of members of the European Court of Justice

References

Legal offices
Preceded by Patrick Connolly	Attorney General of Ireland 1982	Succeeded by Peter Sutherland
Preceded by John Rogers	Attorney General of Ireland 1987–1991	Succeeded by Harry Whelehan
Preceded by Ronan Keane	Chief Justice of Ireland 2004–2011	Succeeded by Susan Denham