Gallery: Celebration inside a Kilkenny court room to mark career of important local figure

District Court Judge Geraldine Carthy described Mr Meaney as  “a colleague, a mentor and one of the finest solicitors to serve in the role he holds.”

Tributes also came from His Honour Judge Cormac Quinn, Colman Cody SC, solicitor Michael Lanigan, Padraig Mawe of the state solicitor’s office, Stephanie O’Brien from the office of the DPP, Garda Superintendent Seán O’Meara. All highlighted the excellence of his legal work, his friendliness and easy company and that he never lost sight of the importance of human decency in his work.

Judge Sinead McMullen, who presided over the most recent sessions of Kilkenny Circuit Court, said it was evident during that time that Mr Meaney was well liked by his colleagues and she wished him a happy retirement, before handing over MC duties to Kilkenny’s resident district court judge, Geraldine Carthy.

Behind every good man is a good woman, Judge Carthy said, and for Mr Meaney that is his wife Miriam who worked alongside him and contributed to his enormous body of work. It was a ‘team effort’ in the office as well as at home, the judge said of the couple.