I was saddened to hear of the death of our esteemed great former colleague and former Attorney General Peter Sutherland SC last weekend.
There is little that can be said about Peter that has not already been said. He was a Statesman and a patriot, the likes of which Ireland has rarely seen before. Whether it was as a legal professional, an advisor to Governments at home and abroad, a business leader or an advocate of human rights – whatever task he turned his mind and his energy to, he fulfilled it with an extraordinary level of dedication, expertise and passion.
At home in Ireland, and on the international stage, he always represented the interests of his country with pride and with devotion. He contributed significantly to the creation of modern Irish society as we know it, perhaps most memorably for his consistent and fervent championing of our place in Europe.
On behalf of the members of The Bar of Ireland, I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to his family.
Ni bheidh a leithead ann aris.