Peter Smithwick

{{Short description|Irish judge (1937–2022)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=October 2020}}

Peter Smithwick (15 February 1937 – 8 March 2022) was an Irish judge who served as chairman and the sole member of the Smithwick Tribunal, a Tribunal of Inquiry into the events surrounding the killing of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC).[http://opac.oireachtas.ie/AWData/Library3/smithwickFinal03122013_171046.pdf Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into suggestions that members of An Garda Siochana or other employees of the State colluded in the fatal shooting of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and RUC Superintendent Robert Buchanan on 20 March 1989]

Smithwick was born on 15 February 1937.{{cite book |title=Who's Who, What's what and where in Ireland |date=1973 |publisher=Geoffrey Chapman Publishers |pages=328 |isbn=9780225658873 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Re8pAQAAMAAJ&q=Peter+Smithwick+15+February+1937 |access-date=9 March 2022}} Prior to his appointment as Chairman of the Smithwick Tribunal in 2005, he was President of the District Court for 17 years.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

Smithwick was a director and the ninth generation of his family to be associated with Smithwick's, the famous beer brewed by his family firm. He appears to have been extremely well-liked and respected.{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/a-skilled-gentleman-with-the-common-touch-29819225.html | work=Independent.ie| title=A skilled gentleman with the common touch | date=8 December 2013}}{{cite news| url=https://www.irishlifeandlore.com/product/judge-peter-smithwick-inistioge-part-1/| work=Irish Life and Lore| title=Judge Peter Smithwick, Inistoge (Part 1)}} He was a Freeman of the city of Kilkenny.{{cite news| url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/member-kilkenny-brewing-family-smithwick-9539761 | work=Irish Mirror| title=Member of Kilkenny brewing family Smithwick awarded OBE by the Queen | date=31 December 2016}}

He grew up in Kilcreene Lodge, and was educated at Castleknock College and University College Dublin. His family was prominent as part of the landed gentry of County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland.{{Cite web|url = http://irishfamilynamesx.com/kilkenny|title = The Landed Gentry & Aristocracy of County Kilkenny |author= Art Kavanagh |date =2004 |access-date = |website = Kilkenny|publisher = Irish Family Names}}

Smithwick died on 8 March 2022, at the age of 85.{{cite news |last1=Carolan |first1=Mary |title=Former District Court president Judge Peter Smithwick dies |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/former-district-court-president-judge-peter-smithwick-dies-1.4821645 |access-date=9 March 2022 |publisher=The Irish Times |date=8 March 2022}}