Just after the 4 Courts in Dublin was built a practice developed whereby Attorneys (precursors of Solicitors) would get their office boys early on the morning to way lay eminent counsel on their way to the courts. The Attorneys were anxious to get the jist of the legal position but did not want to pay for a formal opinion. At that time many members of the Senior Bar lived on the Northside and would amble down Capel Street. There they would be accosted and either in a huddled doorway or on the hoof they would have the situation in summary and be asked for their thoughts. This became known in the parlance as “Capel Street Opinion’