Mr.

West Cork Magistrates:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iUWLnMdEXFgyt6IlrIj-t50Zy6-zHlB9SYcgvi7anJw/edit

Lord Shandon Criticism:

Ignatius O’Brien, Cork born former Lord Chancellor in his memoir praises the Cosgrave administration decision post 1922 to replace the Magistrates with professionally qualified lawyers as District Justices. The other area of praise was the introduction of an unarmed police force, the Gardai. Bram Stoker (former Inspector of Petty Clerks) Manual for Petty Court Clerks was widely used in the Irish District Court until the mid 1930s.

In the late 19th century James Gilhooley MP continuously brought to the attention of the British Parliament the practice in West Cork of the RIC District Inspectors being allowed to sit on the Magistrates Bench. The Official Dublin Castle response was that the practice was not approved of but nothing was done to stop it.