Serjeant-at-law (Ireland)
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This is a list of lawyers who held the rank of serjeant-at-law at the Irish Bar.
The first recorded serjeant was Roger Owen, who was appointed between 1261 and 1266, although the title of serjeant itself is not recorded in Ireland until about 1388; the earlier terms were "serviens" or "King's Pleader". In the early years of the office, appointment as serjeant might be temporary, and might cover only a part of the country.
The duties of the Serjeant-at-law[]
In contrast to England, for many years there was only one Serjeant-at-Law in Ireland, who was known as the King’s Serjeant or simply Serjeant. In 1627 another office holder was appointed, and the two were known as the Prime Serjeant and Second Serjeant. In 1682 a Third Serjeant was appointed. In 1805 the Prime Serjeant became known as First Serjeant.
Until the nineteenth century, the need for three serjeants was often questioned, especially as the office of Third Serjeant was often left vacant for several years. It seems that the position of Third Serjeant was created simply as a form of "consolation prize" for Sir John Lyndon, the first holder of the office, who had been passed over as both a High Court judge and as Second Serjeant, and no particular duties attached to the office. Certainly Sir Richard Ryves, the Recorder of Dublin, was able to combine the notoriously gruelling office of Recorder with the position of Third Serjeant, and later Second Serjeant, which suggests that he was not overworked in his role as Serjeant. Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton, who was removed from his office of Third Serjeant in 1692, complained about his dismissal, but admitted that in his two years in the office he had almost no work to do. Hewitt Poole Jellett, Second Serjeant in the early 1900s, was so old that his office seems to have been an honorary one.
The position was extremely lucrative. Although in theory the salary in the 1690s was fixed at £30 a year, it was well known that in practice the various prerequisites attached to the office brought it up to between £900 and £1000 a year, in addition to what he earned from private fees, as it was the serjeant's right to continue to take briefs on behalf of private clients. In the early centuries it was apparently quite unusual for the Serjeant to have no private clients.
The Serjeant usually had a seat in the Irish House of Commons. As a Government office holder he was expected to manage Parliamentary business in the Commons on the Government's behalf. Because he was a Government appointment he was liable to summary dismissal on a change of government, as happened notably in 1714.
The serjeants-at-law ranked ahead of the Attorney-General for Ireland and the Solicitor-General for Ireland until 1805, when the law officers took precedence.[1] From about 1660 onwards they were expected to consult with the Attorney General, and were discouraged from acting on their own initiative: in 1692 the Prime Serjeant, John Osborne, was dismissed for repeatedly acting in opposition to Crown policy.[2] From the 1560s on the serjeants acted as "messengers" to the Irish House of Commons i.e. they were summoned to advise the House on points of law, just as the High Court judges advised the Irish House of Lords. The role of messenger lapsed around 1740.[3]
In the eighteenth century the Serjeants often acted as extra judges of assize. Although the practice had its critics, it survived intermittently into the nineteenth century: Walter Berwick was Chairman of the East Cork Quarter Sessions from 1856 to 1859, while also serving as Serjeant, and Sir John Howley was both Serjeant-at-law and Chairman of the County Tipperary Quarter Sessions for 30 years. Howley however was sometimes criticised for what was called his "legal pluralism". Many though by no means all Serjeants went on to become judges of one of the courts of common law. Hewitt Poole Jellett followed a somewhat unusual path in that he was appointed Serjeant after retiring from office as Chairman of the Quarter Sessions for County Laois and returned to practice at the Bar. Even more surprisingly he remained effectively as Serjeant for life, still in office when he was eighty-five.[4]
No serjeants were appointed after 1919 and on the establishment of the Irish Free State the rank ceased to exist. The last surviving serjeant, Alexander Sullivan, moved to England where he practiced at the English Bar, and as a mark of courtesy was always addressed as Serjeant Sullivan.
King’s Serjeants, 1261–1627[]
- 1261 Roger Owen
- 1270 Robert of St. Edmund
- 1281 John Fitzwilliam
- 1292 John de Ponz (also called John de Ponte or John of Bridgwater)
- 1293 John de Neville
- 1297: William of Bardfield
- 1297: Richard le Blond
- 1310: Matthew of Harwood
- 1319: John of Staines
- 12 February 1326: Simon Fitz-Richard
- 29 September 1327 John of Cardiff
- 29 September 1327 John Gernoun
- 1331 Thomas de Dent
- 3 December 1341: Hugh Brown
- 1 June 1343: William le Petit
- 1348: Robert Preston, later 1st Baron Gormanston
- 1356: John Keppock
- 1358 Richard White
- 19 November 1357:
- 1373/4: John Tirel[1]
- 18 April 1375: Richard Plunkett
- 1375:
- 12 June 1377 Roger L'Enfant
- 1383: Peter Rowe
- 1386: Richard Glynon
- 24 September 1388: John Bermyngham
- 1392: James Haire
- 1393: Nicholas White
- 1406: James Uriell
- 20 October 1422: Christopher Bernevall
- 8 November 1434: Sir Thomas Fitz-Christopher Plunket
- 20 June 1435: Robert Dowdall
- 4 February 1437: Edward Somerton
- 24 June 1447 : Thomas Snetterby
- 1460: Peter Trevers
- 1462: Thomas Dowdall
- 1463: Philip Bermingham
- 1471 Henry Duffe
- 1477 John Estrete
- 1496 Thomas Kent
- 1501 John Egyr
- 1504 John Barnewall, 3rd Baron Trimlestown
- 1506 Clement Fitzleones
- 1509 Patrick Finglas
- 1511 Thomas Rochfort
- 1516 Thomas Fitzsimons
- 1520 Robert Barnewall
- 1532: Sir Thomas Luttrell
- 1534: Patrick Barnewall
- 1550: Sir John Bathe
- 11 September 1554: Richard Finglas
- 21 February 1574: Edward Fitz-Symon
- 9 May 1594: Arthur Corye
- 1 November 1597: Sir Edward Loftus
- 8 June 1601: Nicholas Kerdiffe
- 9 February 1609: Sir John Bere
- 13 May 1617: Sir John Brereton[5]
Prime Serjeants, 1627–1805[]
- 23 May 1627: Sir John Brereton
- 6 October 1629: James Barry
- August 1634: Sir Maurice Eustace
- 20 September 1660: Sir Audley Mervyn
- 26 October 1675: Sir William Davys
- by 1680: John Osborne (succeeded under a patent of reversion dated 29 August 1676; removed from office in 1686)
- 15 February 1687: Garrett Dillon
- 29 September 1690: John Osborne (restored to office in 1690, removed a second time in 1692)
- 29 December 1692: Nehemiah Donnellan
- 5 November 1695: Sir Thomas Pakenham
- 1 December 1703: Robert Saunders
- 28 February 1708: William Neave
- 8 December 1714: William Caulfeild
- 11 August 1711: Robert Blennerhassett
- 9 February 1712: Morley Saunders[5]
- 13 June 1715: Godfrey Boate
- 23 June 1716: Robert Fitzgerald
- 26 January 1724: Francis Bernard
- 22 June 1726: Henry Singleton
- 14 January 1742: Arthur Blennerhassett
- 9 May 1743: Anthony Malone
- 24 January 1754: Eaton Stannard
- 6 October 1757: William Scott
- 27 July 1759: Thomas Tennison
- 11 December 1761: John Hely-Hutchinson
- 18 July 1774: James Dennis
- 24 July 1777: Walter Hussey Burgh
- 14 June 1780: James Browne
- 1 June 1782: Walter Hussey Burgh (again)
- 13 July 1782: Thomas Kelly
- 31 December 1783: John Scott
- 21 May 1784: James Browne (again)
- 21 June 1787: James Fitzgerald
- 28 January 1799: St George Daly
- 1 July 1801: Edmond Stanley
- 29 December 1802: Arthur Browne[6]
First Serjeants, 1805–[]
- 25 July 1805: Arthur Moore[6]
- 25 July 1816: William Johnson
- 28 October 1817: Henry Joy
- 13 May 1822: Thomas Lefroy
- April 1830: Thomas Goold
- February 1832: Edward Pennefather
- 23 May 1835: Richard Wilson Greene
- November 1842: Joseph Stock
- June 1851: Sir John Howley
- 27 February 1866: Richard Armstrong
- 25 October 1880: David Sherlock
- 20 May 1884: James Robinson
- 19 July 1885: Charles Hare Hemphill[7]
- 17 November 1892:
- 5 December 1907 : Charles Andrew O'Connor
- 14 January 1910 : John Francis Moriarty
- 5 July 1913:
- 29 October 1919: Alexander Martin Sullivan – the last Irish serjeant[8]
Second Serjeants, 1627-[]
- 23 May 1627: Sir Nathaniel Catelyn
- 14 April 1637: Sir Maurice Eustace
- 4 March 1661: Sir William Sambach
- 6 April 1670: Robert Griffith
- 10 May 1673: Henry Hene
- 26 May 1674: Sir Richard Reynell, 1st Baronet
- 7 April 1680: Sir Richard Stephens (dismissed 1682)
- 24 October 1682: William Beckett
- 7 August 1683: Sir Richard Ryves (removed from office 1687)
- May 1687: Sir Henry Echlin
- 14 November 1690: Sir Richard Stephens (restored)
- 5 January 1691: Sir Richard Ryves (restored)
- 8 February 1692: Sir Thomas Pakenham
- 13 January 1696: William Neave
- 1 December 1708: William Caulfeild (resigned)
- 14 August 1711: Morley Saunders[5]
- 12 February 1712: John Cliffe
- 18 December 1714: Robert Fitzgerald
- 23 August 1716:
- 23 December 1718: William Broderick (Plantation owner in Montserrat, W.Indies)
- 5 January 1728: Robert Dixon
- 29 April 1731: Richard Bettesworth
- 31 March 1741: Robert Marshall
- 25 November 1757: Richard Malone
- 10 September 1759: Edmond Malone (brother of the preceding)
- 14 January 1767: James Dennis
- 19 July 1774: Maurice Coppinger
- 5 November 1777: Hugh Carleton
- 8 May 1779: Attiwell Wood
- 8 April 1784: James Fitzgerald
- 27 June 1787: John Toler
- 17 August 1789: Joseph Hewitt
- 30 July 1791: Henry Duquerry
- 10 December 1793: Sir James Chatterton, 1st Baronet
- 23 April 1806: John Ball[6]
- 3 December 1813: William MacMahon
- 4 March 1814: Willliam Johnson
- 26 July 1816: Henry Joy
- 29 October 1817: Richard Jebb
- 1 December 1818: Charles Burton
- 3 December 1820: Thomas Lefroy
- 13 May 1822: John Lloyd
- 19 April 1830: Francis Blackburne
- 18 January 1831: Edward Pennefather
- 13 February 1832: Michael O'Loghlen
- 27 January 1835: Joseph Devonshire Jackson
- November 1841: Joseph Stock
- November 1842: Richard Benson Warren
- July 1848: Sir John Howley
- June 1851: James O'Brien
- 5 February 1858: Walter Berwick
- 1859: Gerald Fitzgibbon
- 25 February 1860: James Anthony Lawson
- 21 February 1861: Edward Sullivan
- 18 February 1865: Richard Armstrong
- 24 February 1866: Sir Colman O'Loghlen, Bt
- 29 November 1877: David Sherlock
- 25 October 1880: James Robinson
- 20 May 1884: Charles Hare Hemphill
- 19 July 1885: Peter O'Brien
- 14 July 1887: [7]
- 17 November 1892: Hewitt Poole Jellett
- 18 July 1911: Ignatius O'Brien, 1st Baron Shandon
- 9 December 1911: Thomas Molony
- 20 July 1912:
- 5 July 1913: Alexander Martin Sullivan[8]
- 229 October 1919:
Third Serjeants, 1682-[]
- 24 July 1682: Sir John Lyndon
- 19 February 1683: Sir Richard Ryves
- 3 August 1683: Sir Henry Echlin
- 6 May 1687: Sir John Barnewall
- March 1688: Sir Theobald Butler
- 5 January 1691: Alan Brodrick[5]
- 29 November 1711: John Cliffe
- 25 February 1712: John Staunton
- 14 December 1714:
- 28 March 1726: Robert Jocelyn
- 4 May 1727: John Bowes
- October 1730: Henry Purdon
- 18 April 1737: Robert Marshall
- 21 January 1742: Philip Tisdall
- 28 October 1751: Richard Malone
- 24 November 1757: Marcus Paterson
- 10 October 1764: James Dennis
- 15 January 1767: Godfrey Lill
- 12 July 1770: Maurice Coppinger
- 20 July 1774: George Hamilton
- 15 May 1776: Hugh Carleton
- 6 November 1777: Attiwell Wood
- 8 May 1779: James Fitzgerald
- 25 July 1782: Peter Metge
- 15 January 1784: John Toler
- 27 June 1787: Joseph Hewitt
- 17 August 1789: Henry Duquerry
- 30 July 1791: James Chatterton
- 10 December 1793: Edmond Stanley
- 30 October 1801: Arthur Moore
- 25 July 1805: Charles Kendal Bushe
- 25 October 1805: John Ball[6]
- 23 April 1806: William MacMahon
- 4 December 1813: Willliam Johnson
- 19 March 1814: Henry Joy
- 27 July 1816: Richard Jebb
- 30 October 1817: Charles Burton
- 1 December 1818: Thomas Lefroy
- 13 February 1821: Thomas Burton Vandeleur
- 13 May 1822: Robert Torrens
- 13 July 1823: Thomas Goold
- April 1830: Edward Pennefather
- 18 January 1831: Michael O'Loghlen
- 7 February 1832: Louis Perrin
- 23 May 1835: Stephen Woulfe
- 10 November 1836: Nicholas Ball
- 20 July 1838: William Curry
- May 1840: Richard Moore
- August 1840: Joseph Stock
- November 1841: Richard Benson Warren
- November 1842: Richard Keating
- September 1843: Sir John Howley
- July 1848: James O'Brien
- June 1851: Jonathan Christian
- 1855: Walter Berwick
- 5 February 1858: Rickard Deasy
- 1859: Gerald Fitzgibbon
- 1859: Thomas O'Hagan
- 24 October 1860: Edward Sullivan
- 21 February 1861: Richard Armstrong
- 18 February 1865: Sir Colman O'Loghlen, Bt
- 24 February 1866: Charles Robert Barry
- 12 January 1867: Richard Dowse
- 11 March 1870: David Sherlock
- 29 November 1877: James Robinson
- 25 October 1880: Denis Caulfield Heron
- 30 May 1881: John O'Hagan
- 13 September 1881: Charles Hare Hemphill
- 26 May 1884: Peter O'Brien
- 18 July 1885: John George Gibson
- 5 December 1885:
- 14 July 1887: Dodgson Hamilton Madden
- 14 February 1888: Hewitt Poole Jellett[7]
- 17 November 1892: William Huston Dodd
- 23 March 1907: Charles Andrew O'Connor
- 5 December 1907: Matthew Bourke
- 5 June 1909 : John Francis Moriarty
- 14 January 1910: Ignatius O'Brien, 1st Baron Shandon
- 18 May 1911 : Thomas Molony
- 8 December 1911:
- 20 July 1912: Alexander Martin Sullivan[8]
- 5 July 1913:
- 29 October 1919:
References[]
- Hart, A.R. History of the King's Serjeants at law in Ireland Four Courts Press Dublin 2000
- John Haydn and Horace Ockerby, The Book of Dignities, 3rd edition, London 1894 (reprinted Bath 1969)
Footnotes[]
- Bar associations of Europe
- Law Officers of the Crown in the United Kingdom
- Serjeants-at-law (Ireland)
- 1805 establishments in the United Kingdom