London, April 2006. The Grand Master of the Constantinian Order and Head of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, HRH The Duke of Castro, has today appointed The Right Honourable Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC, as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland for the statutory three year period from 23 April 2006 to 22 April 2009.
Lord Brennan will assume his post on the retirement of outgoing Delegate, HE Mr Anthony Bailey which is scheduled for St George’s Day – 23 April 2006. The formal handover of office will take place during the Delegation’s forthcoming investiture scheduled for late May 2006.
Lord Brennan was appointed to the Council of the British and Irish Delegation in 2003 and holds the rank of Knight Commander of Merit with Star of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
Born in 1942, Lord Brennan graduated from Manchester University with a Bachelor of Law where subsequently he was honoured with a Doctorate. In 1968 he married Spanish national, Pilar Sanchez Moya by whom he has four sons. Lady Brennan is also a Dame of Merit with Star of the Constantinian Order.
Lord Brennan’s career began when he was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn in 1967. Consequently, he was appointed Recorder of the Crown Court (1982) and has been a Queen’s Counsel since 1985 and since 1994 sits regularly as a Deputy High Court Judge. In 1999 Lord Brennan was elected Chairman of the Bar of England and Wales. He is also a member of the bars of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In 2000 British lawyers voted Lord Brennan Barrister of the year.
Lord Brennan is a keen contributor in the globalisation of the legal profession and a key figure in the international legal relations. He has been actively involved in a number of international arbitrations (in particular for South America and South-East Asia). Lord Brennan is on a panel of Consultants to the World Bank for Latin America and South East Asia. He has co-operated with a number of Latin American states on development of judicial independence and training, law reforms and the role of lawyers in modern society. He is also a member of the London Court of International Arbitration, of the American Law Institute, Patron of the Peru Support Group and an Assessor to the British Home Secretary on Compensation for Victims of Miscarriages of Justice.
In 2000, on the advice of Prime Minister Tony Blair, HM The Queen elevated Lord Brennan to the Peerage and the House of Lords. He is an active parliamentarian and sits on numerous Parliamentary committees. Among them are the Select Committee on the European Union, the Sub-Committee on European Law and Institutions and the British-Latin American Parliamentary Group.
Lord Brennan is very active in Roman Catholic affairs. In 2001 the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster appointed him as President of the influential Catholic Union of Great Britain.
Lord Brennan is also the Patron of Consortium for Street Children UK, which works throughout the developing world.
Lord Brennan is also a frequent contributor to legal and medical journals. He was the General Editor of the 14th edition of Bullen and Leake on Pleadings, 2001.
His honours include Cruz de Honor de la Orden de San Raimondo de Renyafort (Spain), the Gold Medal of the Supreme Court of Mexico. He is also an Honorary Doctor of Law of the Universities of Manchester and Nottingham-Trent.
Message from His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria on the appointment of Lord Brennan as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria, as Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order and the Royal Order of Francis I has on behalf of the Grand Master formally appointed Lord Brennan as the Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland.
In a letter to the Delegate-designate, Lord Brennan, The Duke of Calabria said “I have the honour to inform you that the Grand Master, HRH Prince Ferdinando of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro and Head of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, has today consented to your appointment as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Royal Order of Francis I.
“This appointment, which has been today ratified by the Royal Deputation, will be for a statutory three year period commencing from 23 April 2006 until 22 April 2009.
“May I join HRH The Grand Master in extending to you my own warm congratulations on your appointment. I very much look forward to working with you as we develop the Delegation in Great Britain and Ireland even further across the religious, charitable, humanitarian, hospitaller and interfaith activities established by your delegation over recent years”. The Duke of Calabria said.
Outgoing British and Irish Delegate Anthony Bailey welcomes the appointment of Lord Brennan.
Outgoing British and Irish Delegate Anthony Bailey issued the following statement on the Grand Master’s decision to appoint Lord Brennan as his successor as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland “I am absolutely delighted that Lord Brennan of Bibury’s nomination has been accepted by the Grand Magistry especially knowing of his lifetime commitment to Roman Catholic causes as well as inter-religious dialogue.
“I have known Dan Brennan for many years and his active support and participation at all Delegation’s events in this country has been much appreciated and I have no doubt that he will contribute greatly to the further development of the Delegation in Britain and Ireland. He is also well known to many of our knights and dames who will, I am sure, support him during his forthcoming three year term”.