FGM miscarriage of justice family’s tribute to their ‘Freedom Fighter’ solicitor 

A number of fine tributes have been paid to Irish solicitor James MacGuill who died 6 September 2026. They referred to his distinguished 40 year legal career and to a number of landmark cases in which he acted in Irish and European courts. One wrote “James embodied the core of what it means to be a solicitor – to achieve the object of justice for any person who needs it.” Recent clients went further in considering him a Freedom Fighter.

These clients were participants in a hugely important case, Ireland’s first and only criminal conviction for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). In contesting it, MacGuill represented the child’s father. The man and his wife’s convictions were subsequently overturned and the Court of Appeal declared a miscarriage of justice earlier this year. Costs were awarded later.

The outcome would have added to MacGuill already distinguished legal career history and no doubt reflected his knowledge, tenacity and determination. But behind that landmark ruling was the man whom he represented, his wife and children (all of whom must remain anonymous), whose lives were torn apart during the almost ten years before the miscarriage of justice verdict was delivered. He quietly supported them behind the scenes because he did not consider them mere participants in an important legal case but human beings trying to survive and overcome insurmountable challenges. 

In gratitude for this support, the man H M and his wife B O paid their own special tribute to a solicitor whom they called ‘The Freedom Fighter’. They have given me permission to reproduce it in full below.

A tribute to James MacGuill

Today we lose a Freedom Fighter.

With our deepest sympathy, gratitude and respect.

“Dear James’s Family,

We are writing these words with hearts that are incredibly heavy. When we heard that James MacGuill had passed away last Sunday, we were devastated. It is difficult to accept that someone who played such an important role in our lives, and who stood beside our family through some of the darkest years we have ever experienced, is no longer with us.

James was our solicitor, but to us, he became much more than that. He became a person we trusted. A person who listened when others did not. A person who believed in us when we were struggling to make our voices heard. A person who stood beside our family when our lives had been turned upside down. 

Our family endured almost ten years of unimaginable pain, injustice, uncertainty and suffering. There were moments when we felt that the weight of everything we had experienced was simply too much to carry. Our children were affected. Our family was separated. Years of our lives were taken from us. We experienced things that no family should ever have to experience. And throughout this long and painful journey, James never gave up on us.

He continued to fight for the truth. He continued to work with determination and professionalism. He continued to stand beside us until, finally, the truth prevailed and we received the justice for which we had waited for so many years.

Receiving our Certificate of Miscarriage of Justice was one of the most important moments of our lives. We will always remember James as one of the people who helped make that moment possible. 

But what makes our memories of James even more meaningful is that his support was not limited to the courtroom.

When our family was struggling with homelessness and difficult living conditions, James also helped us with our housing situation. He understood that our case was not simply a legal matter. But it was about real people, a family, parents and children trying to rebuild their lives.

He saw our humanity. That is something we will never forget. James helped us through a chapter of our lives that we will never be able to erase. But because of people like him, we were eventually able to begin a new chapter.

Today, as we mourn his passing, we find ourselves thinking about the many lives he must have touched throughout his career like his clients, colleagues, friends and, most importantly, his family. We can only imagine the enormous emptiness his absence has left in your hearts. There are no words that can remove your grief. There is no sentence that can make this loss easier. But we hope that, in time, you will find some comfort in knowing how deeply James was respected, appreciated and remembered by the people whose lives he changed.

For our family, James’s legacy will live on in the justice he helped us achieve, in the freedom we regained, in the future we can now build for our children, and in the memories we will carry for the rest of our lives.

We will always remember his determination.

We will always remember his kindness.

We will always remember his humanity.

And we will always remember that, during some of the darkest moments of our lives, James stood beside us.

We believe that the people we love and the people who make a lasting difference in our lives never truly disappear. They remain in the memories they leave behind and in the lives they helped change.

James has left that kind of mark on our family. His work gave us hope when hope was difficult to find. His dedication helped us reach justice. His compassion helped us feel that we were not alone. For that, we will remain eternally grateful.

To James’s family, please accept our deepest condolences. May you find strength in the love of your family and friends, comfort in the memories you shared with James and peace in knowing that his life made a profound difference to others.

Our prayers are with you all during this heartbreaking time.

May James MacGuill rest in eternal peace.

We will never forget him.

We will never forget what he did for our family.

And we will carry his memory and his kindness with us for the rest of our lives.

With our deepest sympathy, gratitude, love and respect,

H M & B O and our children

Date: 06/09/2026’

May his life and legacy be remembered.