From the Irish Independent, 20 July 1929, this tale of a best friendship gone to the bad.

Although there is no specific genre of law devoted to this issue, one suspects that broken friendships have provoked as much litigation as broken marriages over the years.

An interesting side note in the case was the removal of a spectator from court for smoking, not something looked on kindly in Irish or English courts; in the United States, on the other hand, it was commonplace for judges to smoke – cigars no less – on the bench.

“WOMEN’S WOES Comedy in a Midland Court
WIVES WHO WERE WEDDED TOGETHER Newbridge, Wednesday.

Two women, who were married together twenty-three years ago, figured in an amusing case at Monasterevan District Court, where one alleged that ‘the trouble between them arose because she would not go from public house to public house drinking with the other.’

During the hearing of the case, which caused much laughter in court, the Justice (Mr. Reddin) ordered the removal of a man who so far forgot himself  as to coolly start smoking a cigarette.
“Put the man out, sergeant,” said the Justice. “The atmosphere here is bade enough without the addition of smoke”

The women in the case were Mrs Margaret Walker of Drogheda Row, Monasterevan, and Mrs Driscoll, of the same place. The latter was charged with assault and abusive language.

The complainant’s story was that when passing her door Mrs Driscoll emerged and called her ugly names. On another occasion, she said, the defendant threw a stone through her window.

‘She is constantly drawing up my father and stepfather from the clay,’ bemoaned Mrs Walker. ‘She is giving me scandal for the last twenty-three years, and I had to leave the place before on account of her. I wouldn’t drink with her. I keep a lodging house, and I keep it respectable.’

Cross-examined, complainant said she did not drink, and her husband might have ‘an odd pint when he came off the Barrow [probably the River Barrow] (laughter).

HAPPY MEMORIES
Mrs Driscoll pleasantly recalled her wedding day, sand said that since she and Mrs walker were married together twenty-three years ago, they never had a word.

The woman went onto say that she was indignant when complainant called her ‘a rotten Tipperary so-and-so, though, in fact, she did not come from Tipperary.
‘I said I never came from Tipperary, but in any case, I never came from the den you come from in Rathangan. If certain people were here she would be put out of the town.’

The Justice was of opinion that each of the women was as bad as the other, and he adjourned the case for three months.”

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