Cherie Blair to be awarded legal honour in Ireland

Cherie Booth was today following in the footsteps of her husband, Prime Minister Tony Blair, by being awarded a top legal honour during a visit to the Irish Republic.

The QC was meeting with a number of charitable organisations before heading to the King’s Inns the institution which trains barristers in Ireland.

During a private ceremony, Mrs Booth was being made an honorary bencher of the King’s Inns, three years after Mr Blair was presented with the same accolade.

The honour is the equivalent of a university fellowship and brings the privilege of access to facilities such as its library.

There are about 100 benchers, including senior members of the Irish judiciary. In addition there are more than 40 honorary benchers.

Mrs Booth will join a select group when the honour is conferred - the only other women benchers in the last 30 years are President Mary McAleese and her predecessor Mary Robinson.

Before the ceremony Mrs Booth was having lunch with representatives of cancer groups and was meeting with several children’s charities.

The top barrister has been involved in a number of children’s charities, including Childline, and was appointed President of Barnardo’s at the end of last year.

She has also specialised in human rights with the setting-up of the law practice Matrix.