Tributes have been paid to legal journalist Aodhan O'Faolain, who reported on High Court, Appeal Court and Supreme Court cases for almost all national news organisations, and who has died at the age of 50.
Mr O'Faolain passed away this evening at St Vincent’s University Hospital. He had been diagnosed with cancer towards the end of last year.
In his role as a reporter for court reporting agency Ireland International for two decades, Mr O'Faolain filed copy for all national media organisations, including RTÉ News.
He specialised in cases in the Chancery Court and covered many high-profile disputes and injunction applications as well as cases in the High Court's bankruptcy list.
Among those paying tribute to Mr O'Faolain was Attorney General Rossa Fanning.
Mr Fanning described Aodhan as "a scrupulously fair court journalist who documented the ebb and flow of Ireland’s economy from the journalist’s bench in the High Court’s Chancery list".
Mr Fanning said Mr O'Faolain would be remembered for his professionalism and integrity and would be sadly missed by the generation of judges and barristers whose work he chronicled.
One of the cases Mr O'Faolain covered regularly in recent years was the contentious legal dispute between secondary school teacher Enoch Burke and Wilson’s Hospital School.
He often reported on important decisions by the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.
As a sports fanatic, he particularly enjoyed covering cases relating to sporting organisations.
Before specialising in court reporting, Aodhan worked for the Clonmel Nationalist newspaper.
He also spent almost two years in Japan teaching in one of the top secondary schools in the country.
Veteran court reporter Ray Managh, who worked closely with Mr O'Faolain, said he was "trusted and admired for his professionalism and work ethic, his ever-present chirpy smile and his most casual of dress codes".
He described him as an "outstanding person" with great integrity. He noted that Mr O'Faolain often fought for the right to be in court to expose the plight of young people whose cases could be subject to reporting restrictions.
President of the National Union of Journalists Gerry Curran, who is also media relations adviser to the Courts Service, said Mr O'Faolain’s inquisitiveness and curiosity about life was reflected in his copy and his manners and decency were reflected in his actions.
He said he brought much understanding of the process of law to many people by simply telling people what happened in an accessible and no-nonsense way.
Mr Curran said Aodhan would be greatly missed as a reporter, as a friend to so many, and as a great supporter of his trade union.
Senior Counsel Michael O'Higgins said Aodhan was a man of few words, who was "occasionally quietly droll" and who always delivered up crisp copy.
Mr O’Higgins said Aodhan’s stand out quality was his "gentleness which made a lasting impression".
He said it was shocking to lose him so prematurely.
Mr O'Faolain was born in Galway but grew up in Athlone and lived in south county Dublin in recent years.
Aodhan was an avid supporter of the Irish rugby and soccer teams, as well as Connacht rugby and Athlone Town FC.
He is survived by his wife Janet, his father Mícheál mother Maura and his brothers Eoin and Ronan.
He will also be missed by his nieces and nephews, as well as many colleagues and friends in the journalistic and legal worlds.
