Sir Michael, who was 90, took silk in 1971 and was first appointed as a deputy County Court judge in 1983. He was later appointed as a High Court judge in 1986 and elevated to the Court of Appeal in 1995, before retiring in 2006.

The obituary reflects on his status as one of few Catholic judges during the Troubles, whose practice as a barrister prior to his appointment as a judge included defending high-profile republicans.