Seán O'Leary
Seán Anthony O'Leary (7 June 1941 – 22 December 2006) was an Irish judge, politician and barrister. He was Lord Mayor of Cork from 1972 to 1973. A Fine Gael member, he served on Cork City Council and ran unsuccessfully for the Dáil in 1965, 1969, 1973 and 1977.
O'Leary was a senator from 1981 to 1982 and again from 1983 to 1987. He was nominated to the Senate by Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald in 1981 and again in 1983. He did not seek re-election in 1987.
He later became a Circuit Court judge (1995–2002) and then a High Court judge (2002–2006). While a High Court judge, he chaired the Residential Institutions Redress Board. He also chaired inquiries into the Luas light rail system for Dublin in 1997 and 1999, which were praised for their speed.
Before becoming a barrister, he worked as an accountant. He was married to Mary Holly in 1968 and they had five children. He died at Cork University Hospital in Cork at the age of 65. His grandfather John Horgan was a TD and served as Lord Mayor of Cork from 1941 to 1942.
Education: He attended St Finbarr's College and Farranferris, then studied at University College Dublin and the King's Inns.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 17:35 (CET).