Peter Smithwick

Article summary

Peter Smithwick (15 February 1937 – 8 March 2022) was an Irish judge who served as chairman and the sole member of the Smithwick Tribunal, a Tribunal of Inquiry into the events surrounding the killing of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). Smithwick was born on 15 February 1937. Prior to his appointment as Chairman of the Smithwick Tribunal in 2005, he was President of the District Court for 17 years. Smithwick was a director and the ninth generation of his family to be associated with Smithwick's, the famous beer brewed by his family firm. He appears to have been extremely well-liked and respected. He was a Freeman of the city of Kilkenny. He grew up in Kilcreene Lodge, and was educated at Castleknock College and University College Dublin. His family was prominent as part of the landed gentry of County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland. Smithwick died on 8 March 2022, at the age of 85.

Key claims

1. date of birth: 1937-02-15 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of death: 2022-03-08 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of birth is "1937-02-15". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of death is "2022-03-08". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

No sources recorded.