Judge Thomas (Tommy) Ballagh, who died on November 15th aged 62, was a district court judge for almost 20 years. He was also the member of the district court chosen to sit on the Special Criminal Court, which is made up of a member each of the High, Circuit and District courts, who are expected to be available to this court for three months out of every year. He was nominated to this court in 1985, and continued to serve on it up to his death.
During his time on this court it dealt with a number of high profile cases, including, more recently, that of the murder of Garda Jerry McCabe.
Thomas Ballagh was born in Blackrock, Co Dublin, in September 1938, one of a family of two. His sister, Denise, lives in Canada. He attended Avoca School, Blackrock, Co Dublin, Drogheda Grammar School and Trinity College Dublin. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1959, and subsequently joined the law agents' office of Bank of Ireland. He married his wife Janet in 1961.
In 1981, he was appointed a judge. Among the courts he sat in were the Dublin Metropolitan District Court and the district courts of Bray, Naas and Newbridge. According to family members he loved his work.
A colleague described him as a hard-working judge who dealt with a huge volume of work with a great proficiency and sense of justice. Judge Ballagh made himself available at any hour of the day or night, when called upon to sit on the Special Court.
As a judge of the district court he paid great attention to detail and was very conscientious. During a case involving Munchausen's Syndrome by proxy, where a father had been adding salt to the child's food to cause it injury, Judge Ballagh cancelled his holidays to deal with the case and give a judgment on the care of the child.
Outside of court he was described as a very social man. He was a member of the Kildare Street Club, where he was a regular visitor. He was a keen golfer, and had been captain of the Carrickmines. He also had an enthusiastic interest in hockey and cricket, and was very involved with Avoca Hockey Club.
He also enjoyed singing, and was a member of the Dun Laoghaire Choral Society.
He is survived by his wife Janet and three children, Sarah, Peter and Michael.
Thomas Ballagh: born 1938; died, November 2000