73 / 216
JUNE, 1922]
The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
M. Ross Todd of Dublin, M. D. McCoy of
Limerick, William Burroughs Stanley of
Dublin,
a
former President ;
David A.
Ouaid of Dublin, F. A. Cunningham of
Belfast, E. S. Jones of Belfast, R. S. Holland
of Omagh, Elliott McNeill of Dublin, Edward
Counihan of Kilrush, Francis Fitzmanrice
of Dunmanway, J. H. Moran of Limerick,
Levins O'Reilly and R. B. Falkiner of
Dublin. Each and every one of
these
gentlemen was a well known and honoured
Member of his Profession.
The circum
stances of Mr. Fitzmaurice's death sent a
thrill of horror not only through his old
professional comrades but through the entire
community. He practised in Dunmanway,
Co. Cork, for 48 years ; a Protestant, he
lived in peace and harmony with his Catholic
neighbours and had attained to a ripe and
honoured old age. That such a man should
be brutally murdered as a so-called reprisal
for murders equally barbarous committed
in the North is contrary to every Christian
principle. There is no doubt that the over
whelming majority of Irishmen regard such
crimes with abhorrence and disgust.
Since our
last meeting our Northern
brethren have obtained a Charter estab
lishing a separate Society for the Six Counties.
The Council genuinely regrets this.
Since
the foundation of our Society the most
cordial relations have always existed in the
profession between north and south. No
difference either of creed or politics has ever
marred these relations. The Council have
always held the view that there was no
solid reason for setting up two systems of
legal administration in this country.
It is
now, however, an accomplished fact and
we can only hope that in days not far off
that we will come together again and work
as one undivided profession in the interests
of the community and ourselves.
I shall
.only add in this connection that notwith
standing this, as I hope, temporary severance,
this Council will hold themselves always
ready
to co-operate with our Northern
brethren as far as they will allow us. The
fact that some of our Northern brethren
are forsaking us is a powerful reason why
every Solicitor in the Twenty-six Counties
should support the Law Society.
In normal
times the support given to the Society by
the Profession has not been such as one
should expect. We are now
living
in
abnormal
times. The Society
is passing
through a period of great difficulty, and it
behoves every Solicitor who has not only
his own interests but also
those of the
Profession as a whole at heart to join the
Society, and thus strengthen its resources
and enable it to effectively voice the claims
of our Profession.
I have always believed
in the principle of properly regulated Trade
Unionism. A Society can always more
effectively voice a claim than an individual.
I trust, therefore, that by November there
will be such an accession of membership as
will make the Society more powerful than
ever.
In this connection may I say that
the Council .would welcome suggestions from
Solicitors practising in the country as to
how the Society could be improved and
strengthened.
I
had
the
ambition
of
personally meeting
some
of
the Local
Sessions Bars throughout the country and
discussing with
them various questions
affecting our Profession, but unfortunately
the present troubles have made such a course
impracticable at the moment. With the
advent of peace, however, I shall certainly
embrace
opportunities
of meeting my
brethren in the country and conferring with
them as to any question which they think
should be discussed and carefully con
sidering any proposals made on behalf of
local practitioners.
I regret that recent events have deprived
us temporarily of the Solicitors' Buildings.
The occupation of the Four Courts by an
armed force inevitably involves the occupa
tion by that force of the premises of this
Society, which, perhaps, the pablic do not
quite realise, form a distinct building from
the Four Courts and are the private property
of
this Society.
You
can
all
readily
appreciate that our work has been carried
on with considerable difficulty but it has
been carried on. Owing to the prompt
action of our Secretary our functions have
not been interrupted. The Lectures and
Examinations for our Students are pro
ceeding,
the Council Meetings are being
held and the general government of the
Profession is being carried on.
It is very
unfortunate that members are for the time