1844, Petty Session Courts with James Little, Resident Magistrate (RM), and Local Magistrates Listed, Bantry, Carrigboy (Durrus), Castletownbere, Clonakilty, Dunmanway, Goleen, Remineen (Beara/Glengarriff), West Division, West Cork.

 

1844 a series of reforms had resulted in the establishment of the Petty Session Courts, presided over by a Resident Magistrate.  He did not have to be legally qualified, many were former British Army Officers. or RIC District Inspectors.   He was assisted by at least two local Magistrates or Justices of the Peace and the hearing were conducted in Courthouses., the Clerk of Petty Session played a pivotal role.

Formerly the local Magistrates held court often in their own houses, giving a perception of the partial and sectarian administration of justice.

In this listing, the only Church of Ireland clergymen shown are the Rev Alleyn Evanson of Durrus Court, Gearhameen, Durrus.  At this stage he was an ‘beneficed clergyman’ not practising but a land agent and middleman.  The Rev. Richard Wright, of Skibbereen was also a land agent.

Earlier there would have been  very significant presence of ministers representing the then Irish State Church.

chrome-extension://klbibkeccnjlkjkiokjodocebajanakg/suspended.html#uri=http://opac.oireachtas.ie/Data/Library3/Library3/DCT162004.pdf

 

1835, Return of J. Chatterton Clerk of Peace (State Solicitor) Co. Cork. 298 Magistrates, 11 Resident and Non Acting, 29 Non Resident and Non Acting with Deputy Lieutenants, Magistrates in Holy Orders. No Practising Barristers, Solicitors or Attorneys.

 

1661-1679. Appointment of Cork Magistrates during Reign of English King Charles 11.

 

Custos Rotulorum, County Lieutenants and Magistrates in the Commission of The Peace , Co. Cork, in Ireland from 1434, Finances from Probates and Land Records

 

 

…..

 

 

…

…