President leads tributes to Prof Conor Gearty
President Michael D Higgins and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) are among those who have paid tribute to barrister and human-rights-law expert Professor Conor Gearty KC, who died last week.
President Higgins described Prof Gearty, who was originally from Co Longford, as “an inspirational human-rights figure” for young scholars and activists in the field.
“Through his work as a researcher and teacher as Professor of Human Rights Law at the London School of Economics, and as a practitioner through Matrix Chambers, he was a leading figure in the advocacy of civil liberties and human rights,” a statement from Áras an Uachtaráin said.
‘Fearless’
IHREC said that it had learned of Prof Gearty’s death with “profound sadness”, describing him as “a towering figure” in the field of human rights.
“Through his scholarship, legal practice and public engagement, he strove to ensure that principles of dignity, equality, and justice, were not just ideals but active realities,” the organisation stated.
“His fearless voice and advocacy will have a lasting legacy in the global fight for human rights, equality, justice, and dignity,” IHREC said.