Legal Disputes
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Famous Irish Trials: The Italian Boy and the Delahunt Murder, 1841-2
In 1923 the Dublin Evening Telegraph ran an excellent ‘Famous Irish Trials’ series. No. 8 in the series, published on 14 April 1923, involved two apparently unconnected murders linked by the mysterious figure of teenager John Delahunt. Like many murky… Continue reading
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A Head-Constable’s Missing Wife, 1912
From the Northern Whig, 15 June 1912, a Welsh trial with a strong Irish connection and a remarkable twist to the tale: “A HEAD-CONSTABLE’S ROMANCE. SEQUEL TO A SECRET MARRIAGE. Charge Against Belfastman A VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY. At Ruthin… Continue reading
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Tales from the Dublin Police Court: A Very Youthful Best Man, 1919
From the Daily Express and the Daily Mail, 19 October 1919, this account of an application for support made by a woman in the Dublin Police Court against a man who denied ever having been married to her. The wedding… Continue reading
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Tales from the Dublin Police Court: Twenty Dublin Youths Arrested for Illegal Drilling Sing The Soldier’s Song, 1917
A vignette from the Dublin Police Court of 1917 as twenty youths arrested for illegal drilling repeat their alleged offence in the Dublin Police Court while singing the Soldier’s Song – just one of many political protests which took place… Continue reading
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Opposing Counsel Interrupt Court to Fight a Duel, c. 1780
Plenty of Irish barristers fought duels in the honour-heavy days of the 18th century, and, according to John Edward Walsh in ‘Tales of Ireland Sixty Years Ago’ (1851), there was nothing unusual about their interrupting, to do so, court proceedings… Continue reading