About William Black
Lived 1879 – 1967 (aged 87). William Black was a barrister.
William Bullick Black KC (22 September 1879 – 11 March 1967) was an Irish judge and barrister who served as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1942 to 1951 and a Judge of the High Court from 1939 to 1942.
Early life and education Black was born in Holywood, County Down, in 1879. Black's father, James, was a Methodist minister. He was educated at Methodist College Belfast and later at Trinity College Dublin.
Career Black attended the King's Inns, Dublin, where he qualified as a barrister. At King's Inns, he won a number of debating and oratorical prizes before he was called to the Bar in 1901.
In 1939, Black was appointed a High Court judge. Then, in 1942, he was made a judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland and served until 1951. He dissented against the ruling in the Corcoran case (1950) and also the 1951 Tilson case that enforced the Ne Temere decree.
The Council of Europe elected Black as Ireland's representative in the European Commission of Human Rights in 1954.
Personal life He was married to Julia O'Connor with whom he had three children with.
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Important facts
People in William Black's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William Black's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Black?
Irish jurist (1879-1967)
When was William Black born?
William Black was born on 22 September 1879 in County Down.
When did William Black die?
William Black died on 11 March 1967 in Dalkey.
What was William Black's occupation?
William Black was a barrister.
What nationality was William Black?
William Black's recorded nationality: Irish people.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William Black (judge)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Black. https://biography.guide/william-black-barrister/
MLA: "William Black." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-black-barrister/.
Chicago: "William Black." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-black-barrister/.
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