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GAZETTE
SEPTEMBER 1991
M.J. O'Connor & Co. - Museum
To celebrate the centenary of its
foundation in 1898, the firm of M.J.
O'Connor & Co., of Wexford has
established a museum containing
over 100 exhibits. The museum is
located in what must have been
one of the earliest purpose built
solicitors' offices in Ireland when
they were erected in Georges
Street, Wexford in 1894.
The offices stand on the site of
a townhouse formerly owned by
the 1798 patriot Bagenal Harvey
and appropriately the museum
contains a flintlock pistol reputed to
have been owned by Bagenal
Harvey.
The founder of the firm, Michael
J. O'Connor, was the author of a
series of articles on Land Reform
published in the
Freemans Journal
and this series of articles is
exhibited in the museum.
Michael O'Connor's brother,
James, was successively a
Solicitor, a Barrister, a Kings
Counsel, Solicitor General and then
Attorney General of Ireland, Judge
of the Chancery Division and a Lord
Justice of Appeal in Ireland and
finally a Solicitor again. He was the
author of
The Irish Justice of the
Peace
and
The Licensing Laws of
Ireland
both of which are displayed
in the Museum.
A feature of the museum is the
collection of splendidly mounted
and framed old deeds including a
Grant of 1668 of lands to Richard
Belew and a Deed of 1754 under
the Seal of the Chancery Division
of the High Court authorising
Charles W. Walker to hold Courts in
the County of Wexford. In addition,
the museum contains a con-
siderable collection of ancient Bank
Notes including the earliest drawn
on the Wexford Bank on the 12th
October, 1805 and a Bank of
Ireland Bank Note for 30 shillings
dated 17th March, 1812.
Michael J. O'Connor's son,
Fintan, practised in the firm for
56 years up to 1979 and has been
succeeded by the present principal,
James O'Connor Junior, who has
been responsible for the estab-
lishment of the museum.
•
James T. O'Connor, standing in the waiting room of the offices of M.J.
O'Connor & Co., holding the first letter book of the office.
This photograph, taken on the 9 November, 1919, on the occasion of the
visit of The Royal Price Faisal /BN Saud of Arabia and his suite to Michael
T. O'Connor's shooting lodge at the North Slob, Wexford, in the back row
standing first left is Mr. H. St. John, T.B. Phiiby of the British Colonial
Office, who was the father of "Third Man", Mr. Kim Phiiby. Beside him
is the cousin of the Prince TheAbaduiia of Qusaibi. Michael T. O'Connor
is sitting in the centre of the photograph, and his wife, Catherine, is
behind him.