Aindrias Ó Caoimh (attorney general)

Ó Caoimh was educated at O'Connell School and at University College Dublin.[4]

He was a brother of Brian Ó Cuív and uncle of Éamon Ó Cuív. He and his wife Sheila had seven children,[5] one of whom, also Aindrias Ó Caoimh, was, like his father, appointed a member of the European Court of Justice, in 2004. Ó Caoimh died at his home in Ranelagh in Dublin, and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.[5]

During his second term as Attorney General of Ireland he represented the Government of Ireland in Lawless v. Ireland (1957–1961), the first case before the European Court of Human Rights, taken by Gerald Lawless,[6] who was represented by Seán MacBride, the human rights lawyer.[7] The case concerned the detention without trial of a suspected member of the IRA who claimed that Ireland had breached Articles 5, 6 and 7 of the European Convention of Human Rights that provide rights to liberty and security, fair trial and the principle of ‘no punishment without law’.[8] The court found in favour of the Irish Government that no violation of the European Convention on Human Rights had taken place.[9]

In September 1970, Ó Caoimh withdrew from the Arms Trial, with the result that the case had to be re-heard after six days of evidence had already been given.[5]

• List of members of the European Court of Justice

• Attorney General page