Ruth Cannon BL, Barrister, Four Courts History
Sharing old stories from Ireland's historic centre of justice.
From the Ballymena Observer, 1951:
“Wearing of Caps in Courthouse
Judge Refers to Old Tradition
An incident in Ballymena Courthouse on Monday, during the Quarter Sessions, prompted Judge Begley KC to refer to a tradition peculiar to that Court. A man who was leaving the building, had just reached the flagged portion and put on his cap. A police officer requested him to remove it, which he did. His Honour interrupted the business to remark that there was a very old tradition
From the Irish Times, 22 November 1867:
“Sir – I was sitting in the court of Queen’s Bench yesterday, and while counsel was reading a long affidavit I applied myself to the columns of the Standard newspaper. Suddenly the Lord Chief Justice called out to me – ‘This is not a place for the public to read newspapers.’
I understood this as a prohibition, and of course desisted. But the question has since
