The Constitution at 80 – a conference to mark the 80^th anniversary of Bunreacht na hÉireann, took place at the University of Limerick on Saturday 11th November. The Conference was opened by the President of UL, Dr Des Fitzgerald and the opening keynote address was provided by Emily Logan, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, who sounded a note of caution about thinking Constitutions can do too much in the face of administration and reality of day-to-day governance. The Hon. Mr Justice Donal O’Donnell, Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland in his closing address gave a tour de force on constitutional interpretation throughout the years and advocated for a policy of judicial restraint. Other highlights included fascinating papers by Mr Justice Gerard Hogan of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys of the High Court, and retired Supreme Court Judge Hugh O’Flaherty, as well as many absorbing and penetrating papers from established academics and up-and-coming researchers. The event sold out and the many practitioners and academics who couldn’t make it followed the updates on social media.

A collection of the papers will form the basis of a special anniversary edition of the Dublin University Law Journal.

The Conference was organised by Dr Laura Cahillane from the University of Limerick and Dr David Kenny from TCD