2021 - Ruth Cannon BL, Barrister, Four Courts History

Irish Barrister Beheaded on Banks of Bosphorus, c.1825

*Aivazovsky, View of Constantinople and the Bosphorus,1856, via Wikimedia Commons*

From the Irish Independent, 17 June 1909:

“A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

In the early years of the nineteenth century one of the most popular favourites in Dublin Society was a barrister named William Norcott, whose identity is discreetly veiled under the initial ’N—-‘ by several chroniclers of the period. He was the life and soul of every party; his wit was keenly relished, and his satirical powers enjoyed by all but the victims whose peculiarities read more

Not Putting a Ring on it, 1937

From the Irish Examiner, 26 November 1937:

“JUDGE AND A RING

AMUSING CASE AT WEXFORD CIRCUIT COURT

QUESTIONS TO WITNESS

At Wexford Circuit Court, before Judge Comyn KC, William McC, Wexford, appealed against the decision of the District Court Justice at Wexford, sentencing him to a month’s imprisonment on a charge of larceny by finding of a gold ring the property of Mrs K Delaney, Gardiner’s Row, Dublin.

Mrs Delaney swore that on August 22^nd, 1937, she was playing golf at the read more

A She-Judge, 1830

From the Dublin Morning Register, 5 May 1830:

“COURT OF KING’S BENCH – (A SHE-JUDGE)

At half-past nine o’clock yesterday morning, one of the Court-Keepers’ maids, a plump, arch-looking girl, entered the Court, and ascended the Bench to arrange their Lordships’ inkstands, cushions etc. Having completed all matters of judicial accommodation, she sat down very gravely in the seat usually occupied by Judge Jebb.

A Reporter, who generally labors under the influence read more

A Barrister’s Account of the Easter Rising, 1916

*Sackville Street, Dublin, following the Rising*, *via Warwick Digital Collections*

From the Northern Whig, 10 May 1916:

“Mr Fred H Mullan, solicitor, Trevor Hill, Newry, has just received a very interesting account from Mr John Cusack, BL, of the Easter Rising in Dublin. Mr Cusack states:-

About 12.30 p.m. on Monday I received a telephone message at my house that the Sinn Feiners had seized Stephen’s Green. I walked there, and found the rebels in possession. They had barricaded the gates with garden seats and pieces of wood, and armed sentries were walking read more

The Misfortunes of Judge Linehan’s Criers, 1913-29

*The Old Courthouse, Dungannon, where Mr Ree was locked in in 1913, via Wikimedia Commons.*

From the Mid-Ulster Mail, 7 June 1913:

“Mr Robert Ree, County Court Judge Linehan’s crier, met with an unfortunate accident in Dungannon on the afternoon of the 4^th. It seems that the business of the quarter sessions was adjourned early in the afternoon, and the officials hurried off to the Dungannon Agricultural Show, with the result that Mr Ree, after settling up the judge’s papers, found that he was locked inside the courthouse. There is no interior connection read more