138 / 266
McCann, Hyman Tarlo, Joseph J. Hughes, Patrick
L. Burke, Patrick B. McCarthy, Peadar Cowan,
Nicholas J. Cosgrave, Desmond A . O’Connor,
Benedict J. Daly, C. Gore-Grimes, Gerard M. Doyle,
Patrick C. Moore, James P. Glynn.
The notice convening the meeting was taken as
read.
The Minutes o f the Ordinary General Meeting
held on 14th May, 1953 were read, confirmed and
signed by the Chairman.
The audited accounts for the year ended 30th
April, 1953 were adopted and with the consent of
the meeting were signed by the Chairman. Messrs.
Kevans & Sons were re-appointed auditors for the
year to end 30th April, 1954.
The Secretary read the report o f the Scrutineers
o f the ballot for the election o f the Council and
Provincial Delegates for the year to end on the day
before the date of the Ordinary General Meeting in
November, 1954. The report stated that for the
office of Provincial Delegate the following had been
returned unopposed:—
Ulster, Derrick M. Martin; Munster, John J.
Dundon ; Leinster, Reginald J. Nolan ; Connaught,
Christopner E. Callan.
The foregoing were declared duly elected.
The result o f the ballot for the 31 ordinary
members o f the Council and the supplemental list
was as follows :—
Arthur Cox, 528; Henry St. J. Blake, 487;
John Carrigan, 482 ; Joseph Barrett, 474 ; Thomas
A. O’Reilly, 465 ; Patrick R. Boyd, 464; Joseph
P. Tyrrell, 458 ; Dermot P. Shaw, 453 ; William J.
Norman, 452; Cornelius J. Daly, 449; Louis E .
O’Dea, 442 ; Charles J. Downing, 434; James J.
O’Connor, 434 ; Sean O hUadhaigh, 430 ; Patrick
F. O’Reilly, 423 ; Francis J. Gearty, 419 ; Gerald
J. O’Donnell, 414 ; Niall S. Gaffney, 413 ; Desmond
J. Collins, 410 ; John R. Halpin, 409 ; Nathaniel
Lacy, 402 ; John J. Nash, 396 ; Peter E. O’Connell,
387; James R. Quirke, 383; John J. Sheil, 3 8 1;
George G. Overend, 377 ; Francis J. Lanigan, 371 ;
Ralph J. Walker, 364; Desmond J. Mayne, 345;
John Maher, 325 ; George A. Nolan, 317.
Supplemental List
Donal O’Hagan, 315 ; Denis Greene, 273 ; David
R. Pigot, 249.
The President declared the foregoing members of
the Society duly elected to the Council and the
Supplemental List in accordance with the Scrutineers’
report.
The following candidates respectively received the
number o f votes placed after their names
Raymond French, 247; Ernest Proud, 246;
John J. O’Dwyer, 244; Robert McD Taylor, 225;
Vincent P. J. Forde, 205 ; William S. Healy, 170 ;
Richard J. Muldowney, 169 ; James Vincent Brady,
107.
The President moving the adoption o f the report
of the Council said -
“ L
adies
and
G
entlemen
:
“ During the past six months death, as is in
evitable, has taken its toll o f our members. I regret
to have to report the removal from our Roll o f the
following names :—Mr. Leonard Webb, Dublin ;
Mr. W. Niall Nelson, Belfast; Mr. John McCarthy
O’Hea, Bandon; Mr. James McCourt, Dundalk;
Mr. Michael J. Dunne, Dublin (18 Summer St.);
Mr. John S. Mooney, Cork; Mr. Arthur J. Nix,
New R o ss; Mr. Arthur H. S. Orpen, Dublin ;
Dr. Vincent D. Keirans, Monaghan; Mr. John P.
McNally, Dublin; Mr. Alfred E. Walker, Dublin;
Mr. Charles J. Lane, Cork.
“ There are two names from that list that I must
refer to in an especial manner. First, that o f the
late Mr. Arthur H. S. Orpen. He was a member of
the Council from the year 19 12 to 1939. He was
elected Vice-President for the year 19 15-1916 , and
subsequently was chosen as President for the year
1924-1925. That surely is a long and distinguished
record. I have for some time regarded the late Mr.
Orpen as the last o f a great generation. I often
think that we younger members do not fully realise
all that we owe to the late Mr. Orpen and his con
temporaries and colleagues. As you know, it was
during his period on the Council that the political
structure of the country was changed, and I do not
think I am exaggerating when I say that it was due,
in no small measure, to the skill and tact and di
plomacy o f him and his colleagues that we to-day
enjoy complete autonomy as an independent and
self-governing learned profession.
“ The Society has suffered a grevious loss with
the death of Dr. Vincent D. Keirans. When nearly
thirty years ago, the Council decided to appoint
special examiners to conduct the Intermediate and
Final Examinations, Dr. Keirans was one o f those
chosen. During all those years he carried out his
duties in a most scrupulous manner, but he was no
hard taskmaster. His whole idea in the setting of
questions and in the assessing o f answers, being a
man o f broad and warm humanity, was to find out,
not so much what a candidate did not know, but
rather to ascertain what he did know.
“ This is my valedictory address, and before I go
further, I should like to make it quite clear—well I
will quote, or rather paraphrase what the Editor of
a certain journal inserts over the notes of my
favourite hebdomadal columnist ‘ any opinions
expressed herein are purely individual: they in no
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