Tom O'Higgins

Thomas Francis O'Higgins (23 July 1916 – 25 February 2003) was an Irish Fine Gael politician, barrister and judge who served as Chief Justice of Ireland and a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1974 to 1985, a Judge of the European Court of Justice from 1985 to 1991, a Judge of the High Court from 1973 to 1974, Deputy leader of Fine Gael from 1972 to 1977 and Minister for Health from 1954 to 1957. He also served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1948 to 1969.

Part of a new generation of Fine Gael leaders who emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, O'Higgins worked alongside Declan Costello and Garret FitzGerald to liberalise the conservative Fine Gael. In the late 1960s, and early 1970s, O'Higgins twice contested the presidency of Ireland for his party; in his first attempt in 1966, he lost by 1% of the vote against incumbent President Éamon de Valera. In the aftermath, his image was greatly enhanced and he was catapulted into the position of deputy leader of Fine Gael. Despite being the initial favourite to win, O'Higgins lost the 1973 Irish presidential election to Erskine H. Childers.

Despite this background, O'Higgins never embraced bitterness or anti-republicanism, and instead espoused a forward-looking politics which sought to advance Irish politics beyond the wounds of the Irish Civil War. Nonetheless, he would always defend his father's membership of the Blueshirts as a requirement for upholding free speech and democracy in Ireland. On the same day his brother, Michael O'Higgins, was also elected a TD. O'Higgins' campaign manager was his erstwhile political rival Gerald Sweetman, who despite their differences, helped O'Higgins construct a modern strategy. Fine Gael presented O'Higgins and his wife Terry as Irish analogues of John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his wife Jackie Kennedy, emphasising their comparative youth to the elderly de Valera. In April 1972, O'Higgins was named the first-ever deputy leader of Fine Gael. In this role, O'Higgins was looked at by some in Fine Gael as an intermediary between the liberal and conservative wings of the party. As deputy leader, O'Higgins made several trips to Northern Ireland in the face of the emerging Troubles and was one of the Fine Gael representatives at the funerals of those killed on Bloody Sunday in 1972.

Anticipating running for president again in May 1973, O'Higgins did not contest the earlier 1973 Irish general election that February. In the aftermath of the general election, his diplomatic skills were once again called upon, as he looked to as a broker between Fine Gael and the Labour Party as they attempted to form a governing coalition, which was ultimately successful.

1973 presidential election

In 1973, O'Higgins was again chosen once again as the Fine Gael candidate in the presidential election. This time he faced former Fianna Fáil Tánaiste and Minister, Erskine H. Childers. Childers was elected by 52% to 48%.

Judicial career

Shortly afterwards O'Higgins was appointed a Judge of the High Court. In 1974, after the sudden death of Chief Justice William FitzGerald, O'Higgins, although the most junior High Court judge, was chosen to replace him as Chief Justice of Ireland in the Supreme Court and a judge of the Supreme Court.

After the sudden death of Erskine H. Childers, O'Higgins, in his role as Chief Justice swore in Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh as President of Ireland. He was Chief Justice until 1985 when he was appointed a Judge of the European Court of Justice. He remained there until 1991.

O'Higgins died on 25 February 2003, at the age of 86.