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THE LATE CHIEF JUSTICE FITZGERALD
In the course of paying tributes to the late Chief
Justice FitzGerald in the Supreme Gourt, the President,
Mr. Peter M. Prentice, said that solicitors dealing with
the late Chief Justice had many happy memories of
him. Nothing was too hot or too heavy for him to
handle. As a lawyer he would work all day or night to
produce the effort which lay behind all that tremen-
dous skill and all that he did in helping solicitors in
their profession and in furthering the interests of their
clients. "From our point of view we feel we have lost a
great friend. He was a tremendous personality."
Mr. Prentice said he remembered especially the late
Chief Justice's bubbling sense of humour and the man-
ner in which he could bring relief into what otherwise
could be very tense and difficult to understand. He had
been of such tremendous help to solicitors as an advo-
cate that it was a great sense of loss to them when he
was appointed to the Bench. As President of the Society
he had on many occasions consulted the Chief Justice
and gained even greater respect for his eminence and
for the manner in which he helped. They appreciated
his kindly advice and tremendous common sense. "We
will miss him greatly. All of us feel this sense of loss
and a sense of gratitude for having known him.
Through his son, Fr. FitzGerald, we would like to con-
vey to his family our great gratitude."
The Gourt then observed a brief silence in memory
of the late Chief Justice.
Law Society tribute to Chief Justice
In a statement on behalf of the Council of the Incor-
porated Law Society, Mr. W. A. Osborne, senior vice-
president, paid tribute to the memory of the late Chief
Justice, Mr. William O'Brien FitzGerald, who died
recently.
"The Council and members of the Incorporated Law
Society have learnt with deep regret of the death of the
Chief Justice, The Hon. William O'Brien FitzGerald,
and wish to tender their sympathy to Mrs. FitzGerald
and his relatives. Since the days when the late Chief
Justice was called to the Bar in 1927, and became a
senior counsel in 1944, he had won an established
reputation as the leading advocate at the Bar; this was
achieved by hard strenuous work and brilliant advo-
cacy. Practitioners will always remember how with a
few seemingly disarming questions in cross-examination,
he could make witnesses co-operate, and he had a
masterly way of summing up a complicated case, in
clear, succinct and precise sentences. At conferences
with solicitors and clients, he could make up his mind
very quickly as to what were the essential points of
fact and law in the case to concentrate on.
"It was not surprising with these admirable qualities
that the late Ghief Justice finally consented in October
1966 to become a judge of the Supreme Gourt, succeed-
ing another great advocate, the late Mr. Justice Lavery.
Inevitably the long hours of work at night, and great
attention to detail, which was the lot of an outstanding
advocate of the bar who was involved in all leading
cases, had affected his health, and he was glad to accept
a post which entailed a more regular routine. Whether
as a Supreme Gourt judge or as Ghief Justice, Mr.
Justice FitzGerald will be remembered by practitioners
for the terse and concise judgments which he gave,
when in a few uncomplicated sentences he came to the
succinct kernel of the legal point to be decided; he
never wasted any time in jurisprudential discourses.
"The late Ghief Justice, principally as counsel, will
be generally thought of by solicitors as humane and
helpful, who was always willing to give sound advice to
those who sought it. May he rest in peace."
NEW CHIEF JUSTICE TAKES SEAT
When the new Ghief Justice, Mr. Justice T. F. O'Hig-
gins, took his seat in the Supreme Court for
the first time, he said that his aim, with God's help,
would be to ensure that a free, independent and fear-
less judiciary would continue to protect the rights and
liberties of all citizens and provide at all times for the
rule of law in our land.
Less than two hours later, Ghief Justice O'Higgins
presided at the swearing-in of the new High Gourt
Judge, Mr. Justice Liam Hamilton, who formally sub-
scribed to his oath of office.
Welcoming the Ghief Justice, the Father of the Bar,
Mr. John A. Costello, S.G., said that he had been a
member of the Bar for many years and had vast experi-
ence in and out of Gourt and in other places. Wishing
him a long life on the Bench, he said Chief Justice
O'Higgins would bring to his high office this vast
experience of the law and his service to the general
public. He knew he would be a good Ghief Justice.
Mr. Peter O'Connell, solicitor, on behalf of the Incor-
porated Law Society, associated himself with Mr-
Costello's remarks.
Returning thanks, the Ghief Justice said that sitting
for the first time as Ghief Justice of Ireland he was
particularly conscious of all that was expected from the
holder of this office and of the high standards of wis-
dom, strength and fearless integrity set by each of his
predecessors.
"I am humbled by the knowledge of the talent and
experience which is shared amongst my colleagues on
this Bench. I know that I will be helped by that fact,
he added.
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