Sharing the History of the Four Courts, Dublin

May 2020

  • Court Documents Stolen for Possible Sale as Toilet Paper, 1860

    From the Evening Freeman, 27 February 1860: “Bessie Birmingham… employed for sweeping a portion of the offices at the Four Courts, Matthew Campbell and Philip Keely were brought up in custody… charged with having stolen and sold a number of… Continue reading

  • Mr Finn’s Four Courts Coffee-Room, 1839

    From the Freeman, 22 January 1839: “John Finn, Henrietta-street, applied for a license for the coffee-room of the Four Courts. Mr Walsh opposed the application, on the part of the Vintners’ Society, and dwelt on the impropriety of such an… Continue reading

  • The Bigamist Barrister, 1846

    From the Liverpool Mail, 18 April 1846: “At Dublin, on Saturday, the trial of Mr Henry Augustus Browne, barrister, for bigamy took place in the Commission Court… Mr Browne is a remarkably well-looking man of about 24 or 25 years… Continue reading

  • Bookstalls, Showmen and Dancing Dogs, 1821-1840

    From the Warder and Dublin Weekly Mail, 26 September 1840: “THE FOUR COURTS:- Although law is very busy in the interior, and the lawyers are not idle in their vocation, the exterior of the building resembles an unfortunate criminal, debarred… Continue reading

  • Armed Footpad Overpowered in Church Street, c. 1800

    From the Freeman’s Journal, 30 January 1882: “A curious reminiscence of… old Dublin life turned up at one of the central [police] stations on Friday… [A]n old gentleman entered the station… and produced a small silver-mounted flint pistol, evidently of… Continue reading

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