Rory O'Hanlon (Irish judge)

For Fianna Fáil politician, see Rory O'Hanlon.

Roderick Joseph O'Hanlon (11 April 1923 – 27 March 2002)^[1] was an Irish judge and barrister who served as a Judge of the High Court from 1981 to 1995. He was also President of the Law Reform Commission.

Rory O'Hanlon
Judge of the High Court
In office 10 January 1981 – 23 May 1995
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Appointed by	Patrick Hillery
Personal details
Born	Roderick Joseph O'Hanlon (1923-04-11)11 April 1923 Phibsborough, Dublin, Ireland
Died	27 March 2002(2002-03-27) (aged 78) Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland
Spouses	Mary Ingoldsby ​ ​ (m. 1954; died 1968)​ Barbara Keating ​ (m. 1980)​
Education	Coláiste Mhuire, Dublin
Alma mater	University College Dublin King's Inns

He was dismissed by the Irish Government from presidency of the Law Reform Commission in 1992, after commenting that if Ireland's membership of the European Union forced the introduction of abortion to Ireland, the country should withdraw from the bloc. He later sued the Government and won substantial damages.^[2]

Post-retirement, O'Hanlon took an active part in campaigning to oppose the divorce referendum of 1995, calling divorce "a grave offence against natural law".^[3] During the lead-up to the referendum on the Maastricht Treaty, it was revealed in an interview that he was a member of the secretive Catholic organisation, Opus Dei.^[1][4]

He died in March 2002 after a battle with stomach cancer.^[1][5]