John Blayney

John Blayney
Judge of the Supreme Court
In office
9 January 1992  21 March 1997
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMary Robinson
Judge of the High Court
In office
24 July 1973  8 January 1992
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byCearbhall Ó Dálaigh
Personal details
Born(1925-03-13)13 March 1925
Dublin, Ireland
Died17 June 2018(2018-06-17) (aged 93)
Dublin, Ireland
Spouse
Bernadette Boullier
(m. 1953)
Relations
Children6
Education
Alma mater

John Joseph Blayney (13 March 1925 – 17 June 2018) was an Irish rugby player, barrister and judge who served a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1992 to 1997 and a Judge of the High Court from 1973 to 1992.

John Blayney was the son of Alexander Joseph Blayney, who was a prominent Dublin surgeon at Mater Hospital.

On 12 December 1991, he was nominated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland by Taoiseach Charles Haughey. On 9 January 1992, he was appointed to the position by President Mary Robinson. Upon retirement from a long legal career, his position on the bench was filled by Judge Henry Denis Barron. During his retirement, he acted as chairman to the Blayney Inquiry into the "professional and business conduct" of a number of major Irish accountants and accounting firms.

Blayney has, on several occasions, sat on the bench for the European Court of Human Rights.

Blayney played rugby union for Ireland, earning one cap in 1950 in which he ran a 40-yard try against a Scottish side.