Biography.guide
Home › People › Judge › Ronan Keane
Portrait of Ronan Keane

Ronan Keane

b. 1932

Irish lawyer and judge

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Ronan Keane

Born 1932. Ronan Keane is an Irish judge, lawyer and jurist.

Ronan Colman Keane (born 20 July 1932 ) is a retired Irish judge who served as Chief Justice of Ireland from 2000 to 2004, a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1996 to 2004 and a Judge of the High Court from 1979 to 1996.

Keane was educated at Blackrock College, Dublin, and later graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) in 1953, with a BA in Modern History. He was called to the Bar in 1954 and has been an adjunct professor at Trinity College Dublin since his retirement.

In 1962, Keane married Therese O'Donnell, who, as Terry Keane, became a fashion journalist and later a social diarist. In 1999, Terry revealed on The Late Late Show her affair beginning in 1972 with sometime Taoiseach Charles Haughey. Ronan and Terry's daughter Justine Keane is married to Diarmuid Gavin, the Irish garden designer and television personality.

Keane was for some years the Independent Chairman of the Appeals Board of the Turf Club of Ireland.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University College Dublin, Blackrock College
Positions held
Chief Justice of Ireland
Also known as
Ronan Colman Keane

Family & relationships

Spouse
Terry Keane

People in Ronan Keane's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Ronan Keane's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Ronan Keane?

Irish lawyer and judge

When was Ronan Keane born?

Ronan Keane was born on 20 July 1932 in Dublin.

What is Ronan Keane's occupation?

Ronan Keane is a judge, lawyer and jurist.

What nationality is Ronan Keane?

Ronan Keane is Irish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Ronan Keane

· Wikidata: Q2165795

· DBpedia: Ronan Keane

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ronan Keane. https://biography.guide/ronan-keane/

MLA: "Ronan Keane." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ronan-keane/.

Chicago: "Ronan Keane." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ronan-keane/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:14 UTC