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Rory O'Hanlon

1923 – 2002

Irish High Court judge

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About Rory O'Hanlon

Lived 1923 – 2002 (aged 78). Rory O'Hanlon was an Irish judge.

Roderick Joseph O'Hanlon (11 April 1923 – 27 March 2002) 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.

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.

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". 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.

He died in March 2002 after a battle with stomach cancer.

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Important facts

Birth century
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Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Rory O'Hanlon's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Rory O'Hanlon?

Irish High Court judge (1923 – 2002)

When was Rory O'Hanlon born?

Rory O'Hanlon was born on 11 April 1923 in Dublin.

When did Rory O'Hanlon die?

Rory O'Hanlon died on 27 March 2002 in Dublin.

What was Rory O'Hanlon's occupation?

Rory O'Hanlon was a judge.

What nationality was Rory O'Hanlon?

Rory O'Hanlon was Irish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Rory O'Hanlon

· Wikidata: Q117479494

· DBpedia: Rory O'Hanlon (Irish judge)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Rory O'Hanlon. https://biography.guide/rory-o-hanlon/

MLA: "Rory O'Hanlon." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/rory-o-hanlon/.

Chicago: "Rory O'Hanlon." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/rory-o-hanlon/.

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