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Past president Bruce St John Blake has died

Law Society past president 1976/77 Bruce St John Blake (pictured) has died.

He was the founder of Galway firm Bruce St John Blake & Co and a long-standing Law Society Council member.

His father, Henry St John Blake, was Law Society President in 1946/47.

The deceased was a law graduate from NUI Galway and auditor of the Solicitors’ Apprentices Debating Society in 1960/61. He qualified as a solicitor in Michaelmas 1962.

He was a founder member, along with John F Buckley, Maurice Curran, Richard Neville and others, of the Society of Young Solicitors and had the honour of being the first Chairman of the SYS.

Elected

He was first elected to the Council in 1966.

Age 40, he was elected President of the Law Society in 1976/77, then the youngest ever holder of the office. 

He was married to Mary Grace Blake, also a solicitor, who predeceased him in 2011. 

He was a lifelong member and supporter of Galwegians Rugby Club of which his father had been one of the founding members.

In later years he was a member of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal.  He was also on the Board of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Longest-surviving Past President

Bruce was the longest surviving Law Society Past President up to yesterday.

The Galway Solicitors’ Bar Association has expressed its sadness at the news.

The late Bruce St John Blake will repose at Keegan’s Funeral Parlour, Portlaoise (opposite the main church), from 5-7 pm on Tuesday 30 April.

On Wednesday 1 May, the remains will repose in St John the Apostle Church, Knocknacarra, Galway from 4-6.30 pm.

The funeral mass takes place at 11 am on Thursday 2 May at Knocknacarra Church, followed by burial in Menlo cemetery.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.