The Gazette 1974

thank most sincerely and most profoundly Mr. Plunkett

for his wonderful services to all of us and indeed to

this country as a whole. He was known and beloved

internationally and in my trips abroad during the past

year to hear so many distinguished people speak with

such esteem and indeed affection of Eric. We will all

be in his debt forever. Happily, he continues in the

capacity of part-time consultant. I wish him and Mrs.

Plunkett many years of happy retirement. The Society

has been lucky to obtain Mr. James J. Ivers to succeed

him, who is now Director-General, Secretary, and Re-

gistrar in this Society. He has had a wonderful record

in the national and other services and though his is as

yet only a short time with us he has already dispalyed

such remakarble ability, industry, kindness and con-

sideration that I have not the slightest doubt but that

under Mr. Ivers' Direction, our Profession will progress

nd achieve a place and a greatness that it deserves.

}Ve wish him every possible success and co-operation

n what is by no means an easy job.

I am hoping that in the not too far distant future

Important Judges and Officials of the E.E.C. will be

invited to Ireland and that our Society will provide

f°r them all that is desirable in the way of entertain-

ment and welcome.

I have had many kind and helpful things done me by

U of the Society's Staff and I am most grateful to

them. Permit me to mention particularly (though by no

means exclusively) Mr. Patrick Cafferkey who since

bis appointment during the year as an Assistant Secre-

tory has done his work most thoroughly, Mr. Colum

Gavan-Duffy the Librarian, Miss Patricia McNama ra

^lso Miss Rosemary Dunne, Mr. and Mrs. Willie

G'Reilly and Mr. Jack Fitzpatrick. I thank them and

ll who did so much to make my year of office the

success I trust it has been.

I refer with deep regret to the following members

h o have died since this time last year and in each

c a s

e I offer deep sympathy to their relatives :

John R. Lawson, Dublin; Henry V. Lynam, Dublin;

fnomas M .A. Lynch, Ennis; Peter J .Flynn, Dublin;

Mrs. Dorothea M. O'Reilly, Dublin; Thomas Reilly,

Glonmel; Patrick T. J. Mulligan, Ballina; William

McFerran, Dublin; John J. Hannan, Dublin; Francis

J- Gannon, Mohill; Thomas E. O'Donnell, Limerick;

John F. Goold, Macroom.

In conclusion I am indebted to my colleagues on the

Council many of whom represented me, often at short

°tice, at gatherings which I could not attend per-

^nally, and in a special way my thanks are due to the

ast Presidents on the Council whose advice was

'ways forthcoming and in this regard I owe particular

r y ^

t o m

y friend and immediate predecessor, James

O Donovan, whom I could almost call my "Mentor"

u through the year.

yment in Land Bonds

t should like to take this opportunity of referring

grievance of both the public and solicitors and

bat is the practice of paying for land taken by the

•

a n (

I Commission in Land Bonds. This to my mind

ls c

°ntrary to natural justice. Surely if we are to pre-

serve the right of private property in Ireland the

a t e

should give a lead and pay in cash for any lands

, R e q u i r e . I have seen people being deprived of their

oldings of land and on realising the Land Bonds

slow process usually) receive only three-fourths of

purchase money which is a situation that is in-

f e r a b le in any civilized community. I trust those

f remarks of mine will perhaps influence the powers

that be to see about having the State pay in cash

whenever they take over lands and we all know the

vast powers they enjoy in acquiring properties com-

pulsorily.

I cannot close this address without offering thanks

and to so many. First of all as I have already said I

thank the Society for electing me as President and I

shall always cherish and value more than I can say the

fact that I have occupied the Chair of my own Pro-

fession thereby following in the steps of so many

illustrious Irishmen of the past.

In a special way I thank my two Vice-Presidents, Mr.

Peter Prentice and Mr. P. C. Moore for their help and

kindness all through my year of office. Indeed without

them I do not know what I would have done. They

"stood in" for me many times—they are great members

of a good profession and I will be pardoned (I hope)

if I say openly what I often said to myself, especially

during the Office Reorganisation that took place this

year, "Thank God for Peter".

Mr. Martin Healy did such wonderful work in really

running the Killarney meeting and functions that he

deserves special mention. Th at the Killarney weekend

was such a success last May was due very largely to

Martin Healy and his wife, Collette.

The adoption of the Report was proposed by Mr.

Gerard Doyle and seconded by Mr. John Nash.

A discussion followed in which the following matters

were raised :

Full disclosure of assets in balance sheet

—Mr. Quen-

tin Crivon objected that this had not been done and

Mr. Prentice assured him this would be done in future.

Four Courts Hotel

—It was suggested that this could

be taken over as additional accommodation for the

Society, but Mr. Prentice explained the difficulties in-

volved.

The King's Hospital

—Mrs.

Virginia Doyle-Rochford

asked what was happening to this building, and

criticised the Council for not giving more information.

Mr. P. G. Moore, replying, stated that the King's

Hospital was a most valuable asset, and that there were

great educational opportunities in the premises. Mr.

Golm Price stated that members should be given an

opportunity of discussing the matter, and that members

should be circularised about the developments occurr-

ing. Mr. Crivon suggested that the Council should

submit a Report to the members at the next Ordinary

General Meeting. Mr. Prentice, replying stated that the

original estimate to effect repairs to make the place

habitable was £450,000. Even as it was, the premises

were now worth £50,000 more than when they had

bought it.

New assistant solicitors

—Mr. Grivon expressed alarm

at the fact that~the average newly qualified solicitor

had no practical experience though expecting a high

salary, and the President promised that this matter

would be looked into.

The President replied to the various points raised.

The motion for the adoption of the Report was put to

the meeting and carried unanimously.

Thursday, 28 November 1974 was appointed as the

date of the next Annual General Meeting.

Mr. T. D. McLoughlin then moved that the Senior

Vice-President take the chair. Mr. Peter Prentice took

the chair and Mr. T. D. McLoughlin proposed a vote

of thanks to the President for his distinguished services

to the Society during his year of office. Mr. Prentice,

Vice-President, associated himself with the motion,

which was then put to the meeting, and carried un-

animously. The meeting then terminated.