Susan Denham

Susan Jane Denham, SC (née Gageby; born 22 August 1945) is a retired Irish judge who served as Chief Justice of Ireland from 2011 to 2017, she was the first woman to hold the position. She served as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1992 to 2017, and was the third longest-serving member of the court on her retirement. She also served as a Judge of the High Court from 1991 to 1992. Early life Susan Gageby was born in Dublin in 1945 and educated at Alexandra College, Dublin. She is the daughter of the former editor of The Irish Times, Douglas Gageby, the sister of another barrister Patrick Gageby and maternal granddaughter of Seán Lester. She is from a Church of Ireland background. She attended Trinity College Dublin (LL.B. 1969), the King's Inns, and the Law School of Columbia University, New York City (LL.M. 1972). She was involved with the Free Legal Advice Centres while studying in Dublin and was a founder and president of the Archaeology and Folklife Society at Trinity College.