Ep 121: Seeking Justice: Diarmuid Brecknell on Fighting for Victims of Historical Abuse and the Troubles
Activist Lawyer Podcast, host Sarah Henry sits down with Diarmuid Brecknell, solicitor at Phoenix Law, to discuss his pivotal role in securing justice for victims of historical abuse and families affected by the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Diarmuid shares his experience of working on inquests, inquiries, and actions against public authorities, and sheds light on his involvement in some of the most high-profile and sensitive cases in recent years. Tune in to hear about the challenges, triumphs, and the ongoing fight for accountability in some of the most complex legal battles in Ireland.
Diarmuid is a Solicitor in the Public Law, Inquests, and Inquiries Department at Phoenix Law. He completed his LLB at Ulster University before graduating from the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Queen’s University Belfast in 2025. Diarmuid specialises in inquests, inquiries and actions against public authorities and is instructed in some of the most high-profile and sensitive cases in the jurisdiction. He also acts in several high-value civil claims arising from the actions of both public bodies and private organisations.
Diarmuid has assisted in some of the most contentious and complex legal challenges brought against public authorities in recent years. His experience includes involvement in the landmark Supreme Court case Re McGuigan & McKenna (the “Hooded Men”) and the Court of Appeal decision in Re Barnard (the “Glenanne Series”), which resulted in an order for a fresh investigation into more than 120 murders, Operation Denton. He is also instructed in the significant civil actions flowing from these matters and has played a key role in securing substantial settlements for victims and survivors in claims against the PSNI, MOD, and other state bodies.
Diarmuid’s extensive inquest and inquiry experience includes appearing in the historic Stardust Fire Inquest in Dublin, one of the largest and most complex inquests ever held in Ireland. Representing families who had campaigned for justice for over four decades, Diarmuid was part of the legal team that ultimately secured unlawful killing verdicts for all 48 victims, a landmark outcome that overturned 40 years of injustice and fundamentally reshaped public understanding of the tragedy.
Diarmuid’s experience also includes the Ballymurphy Inquest, which examined the deaths of ten civilians killed during the introduction of internment in 1971. After nearly five decades, the Coroner found that all of those who died were entirely innocent of wrongdoing and that their killings were unjustified and unlawful.
In addition, Diarmuid has worked on the Hickson Public Inquiry into historic child sexual abuse committed by Bill Kenneally in Waterford from 1970-1990s. Phoenix Law acted for survivors in their pursuit of transparency and accountability from institutions such as An Garda Síochána, Tusla, and the political leadership of the period, all of which had received reports of abuse but failed to intervene, allowing it to continue.
Diarmuid is also currently instructed by over 380 victims of Michael Shine, one of the largest and most significant institutional-abuse cases ever brought in the State. He has helped progress the matter from its earliest stages to its current point, where a government-led scoping exercise is now underway to determine the most suitable model for a formal public inquiry. Throughout this process, he has represented survivors before senior public officials, including the Taoiseach, ensuring that their voices and experiences remain at the centre of the emerging investigative framework.
Alongside his public law work, Diarmuid continues to act in multiple high-value civil claims and has experience in complex commercial litigation in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
For more on Diarmuid’s work, check out: https://www.phoenix-law.org/
