Ruth Cannon BL, Barrister, Four Courts History
Sharing old stories from Ireland's historic centre of justice.
Did you know that divorce proceedings were a great source of entertainment to the general public before the introduction of the in camera rule? And that some of the most notorious even took place in Dublin? This series explores 19th and early 20th century Dublin divorces.
From the Freeman’s Journal, 10 November 1885:
“PROBATE AND MATRIMONIAL DIVISION
Before the Right Hon Judge Warren, and a Common Jury
CARNEGIE V CARNEGIE – This was a suit by the wife for a divorce a mensa et thoro, on the grounds of cruelty. The petitioner is Phoebe Louisa Carnegie, who carries on business as a milliner and draper at 41 Henry-street, and the respondent, Richard Mackett Carnegie, is deputy crier of the Court of Chancery, verger of St Patrick’s Cathedral, and carries on
“On Saturday in the Exchequer Division, the application for an attachment sought by a Mr Lynch (plaintiff in an action for criminal conversation, in which Dr Macan, of Merrion Square, and late of the Rotunda Hospital, is defendant) against the editors of the Medical Press and the Evening Mail, came on for hearing.
Mr O’Shaughnessy, QC, on behalf of Mr Lynch, read out the following article complained of:
‘Dr Macan, late Master of the Rotunda Hospital and President of the British Gynaecological
From the Weekly Freeman, 5 June 1886:
“ARISTOCRATIC DIVORCE CASE FROM IRELAND.
Mr. Gerald Brooke applied to have his marriage annulled in consequence of [his wife’s] infidelity with Mr. Seymour Bushe, barrister, Dublin… on Friday, 3rd October 1885, unfortunate unpleasantness arose about a comparatively insignificant tiff about a pet dog—at which the lady announced her intention of going to the house of Mr. Brooke’s mother… Mr. Brooke endeavoured [to] prevent her, but persuasion
