ConchurMac

The 1916 Easter Rising which took place in Dublin, Ireland, 110 years ago today was led by an Irish barrister - just like every other rebellion which occurred after the opening of the Four Courts in 1796! This time the rebellion leader was Patrick Pearse BL. In 1905, a 26-year old Pearse, who practised briefly on the North-West Circuit, had appeared before the Court of King's Bench in the Four Courts in a case involving the right of a farmer to put his name in Irish on a cart. He was opposed by Cecil Atkinson, son of the former Attorney-General for Ireland, who, despite his victory in the case, was to later die in mysterious circumstances at a time when the world that he had been born into was on the verge of fundamental change as a result of Pearse's rebellion. Read about the 'Name on a Dray' case here: ruthcannon.com/2023/03/28/the… The 1916 rebellion directly impacted on the legal profession due to the rebels' occupation of the Four Courts. Various solicitors' offices were also occupied. The occupation was, however, a courteous one. The rebels left the Four Courts in excellent order - to everyone's surprise, even the drinks cabinet in the Barristers' Tea-Room remained untouched. Posts dealing with the occupation may be found here: ruthcannon.com/2020/11/25/boo… ruthcannon.com/2020/10/30/fou… A solicitor whose Stephen's Green Office was occupied by Constance Markievicz and her troops received a charming note of apology from the Countess herself - read it here: ruthcannon.com/2022/05/25/not… Meanwhile, barristers and legal personnel at a loose end due to the occupation were taking the opportunity to wander round to see what was happening - with fatal results in the case of County Court Judge Linehan's crier Edward Murphy, shot by a sniper's bullet outside the Unionist Club. One barrister, John Cusack, recorded for posterity his experience of the Rising, which can be read here: ruthcannon.com/2021/12/07/a-b… Judges' houses were also occupied, including that of Mr Justice Andrews, who had presided over Pearse's case of 1905. No one could have anticipated at that time what a firebrand that polite, softly spoken barrister would ultimately turn out to be. But sparks of revolutionary change have always quietly smouldered in the hearts of some Irish barristers, with the potential - if they ever burst into flames - to inspire change hardly believed possible. Will Pearse prove the last Irish barrister revolutionary, or will he be a pathfinder who paves the way for the next?

My review of the Seán Lemass book by ⁦@RMcGreevy1301⁩ published today in ⁦@IrishCathNews⁩

On the 21st anniversary of her death, gardaí have made a fresh appeal for information that might help them close their file on the murder of art student Emer O'Loughlin rte.ie/news/2026/0408…