Dame Siobhan Keegan: NI's first Lady Chief Justice sworn in

Dame Siobhan Keegan was one of the first female High Court judges in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's first Lady Chief Justice has been sworn into office.

Dame Siobhan Keegan assumed the top judicial post at a ceremony in Belfast's Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday.

She called on other women to draw inspiration from her appointment.

In 2015, she made history by becoming one of Northern Ireland's first female High Court judges and was presiding coroner for Northern Ireland from 2017 until 2020.

Earlier this year, she delivered the ruling at the Ballymurphy inquest, which found that ten people killed in west Belfast almost 50 years ago were innocent.

'A male-dominated profession'

Speaking at the ceremony, she said it was "an important day for women in the legal profession".

"I hope that my appointment highlights the opportunities open to all young women and men alike to progress in their careers and that it offers some inspiration about what can be achieved," she said.

Dame Siobhan said she was looking forward to the "undoubted challenge" of her new role.

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• First women NI High Court judges

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She paid tribute to female role models in the legal profession who, she said, were "pioneers over the last 100 years in entering what was a male-dominated profession and paving a way for my generation.

"Many of these women are unknown, forgotten, or unrecognised, but they should be remembered today," she added.

"I know they would celebrate my achievement."