1942 Patrick W. O’ Donovan, Solicitor, Clonakilty aged 74, Funeral. Came of Old Stock.

Taught by Master Madden, at The Mountain, Ardfield, who also taught Michael Collins, Sam Maguire.

Oillscoilan t-Sleigh, The Academy of Master Madden late 19th century, Ardfield, Clonakilty to Prepare Boys for the British Civil Service Exams. Pupils included Michael Collins and Sam Maguire.

Master Madden ancestor was a hedge school master who was offer employment as a Teacher in the new National schools c 1830 at a salary of £29 per annum. The family still have the letter of appointment.

Up to the mid 1960s the opportunities for second level education even for families with a degree of comfort was limited.  In the 19th century as an alternative to home farming or going to America the prospect of the Imperial Civil Service was attractive.

One of Master Madden’s great grand sons taught at second level in Dunmanway in the 1960s.

Apart from Sam Maguire and Michael Collins another pupil was Séan Hurley from Durrus.  He went to work in the Chinese Customs in Shanghai and assisted Chinese Revolutionaries. The first Irishman to be given an honorary Chinese passport.

Apprenticed to Henry Thomas Wright, Crown Solicitor whose Practice he Acquired.

Maurice Healy’s Memoir of the Old Munster Circuit he refers fondly to the 3 Clonakilty Wright brothers of Fern Hill, it is possible they descent from a branch of the Dunmanway Protestant O’Sullivan family, suggestive of them being Landlords in Dunbeacon, Durrus.

1850-1937, 1898, 1901 Henry Thomas Wright, TCD Crown Solicitor to 1912, Bankruptcy Judge Fern Hill, 1901 Clonakilty Agricultural Show. Geraldine Wright, Clonakilty, Daughter of Henry Thomas Wright, Mother Ethel Hungerford, Crown Solicitor, wife of the Baron de Penaranda, Bruges. 1888 application to Dublin Castle for special duty claim. Attending 1898, enormous funeral of Dan O’Leary, JP, aged 71, Clonakilty, probably draper Carbery Agricultural Show, Skibbereen 1893

1847-1913), 1911 George Wright, TCD Called to Bar 1871, took Silk 1884, High Court Judge At TCD, boat club. Fitzwilliam, Dublin ” George Wright (1847 – 15 May 1913) was an Irish lawyer and judge. Wright was born in Clonakilty, County Cork, son of Thomas Wright. [1] His father and brothers practiced as solicitors in Clonakilty: one of his brothers was H.T. Wright, Clerk of the Peace for Cork.[2] He married Mary Barrington in 1881. His family owned Fernhill House, Clonakilty, which is now a hotel. He was called to the Bar in 1871, took silk in 1884, and served as Solicitor-General for Ireland from January 1900[3] to 1903 in the Unionist government headed by Lord Salisbury. He was appointed to the Queen’s Bench Division of the Irish High Court in 1903 where he served till his death.[4] He was immensely popular with his colleagues and greatly respected as a lawyer. A colleague humorously described him as a man who is “”on the borderline of genius but never trespasses””; a popular verse hailed him as Judge Wright, who’s never wrong!””[5] Wright died 15 May 1913.[6] ” Probate £20,470 buried Mount Jerome Dublin

1855- ,1876, 1911 George Wright, A. B. TCD Middle Temple 1871, Barrister, 1911 County Court Judge, Co. Louth “2nd son of Thomas Wright, solicitor, Fern Hill. Dublin, Lower Baggot St., Subscriber Dr. Daniel Donovan ‘History of Carbery, 1876. ” “1901 Richard Wright Waterford District Probate Registrar, Barrister Born Co. Cork, 57 “”1843, 1844, 1845, 1847, 1858, 1860, 1865 Thomas Richard Wright Solicitor Fern Hill sons Henry Thomas 1850, Thomas William 1859, Solicitor. Signed Testimonial to Resident Magistrate, John Gore Jones, Bantry, 1844. Assistant 1879 Michael David Kennedy. Also agents for Durrus Estates. Subscriber memorial John O’Hea JP, Clonakilty, 1847. Probate 1880 to widow eliza £12,000. Standard Life Agent 1844 “” ” “s children and Rev. Richard Walton Marmion Standard Life Agent 1844 “

1843, 1844, 1845, 1847, 1849, 1858, 1860, 1865, died 1880 Thomas Richard Wright Solicitor. Land Agent to Lord Charles Pelham-Clinton, 1863, 13,600 acres. Fern Hill sons Henry Thomas 1850, Thomas William 1859, Solicitor. Signed Testimonial to Resident Magistrate, John Gore Jones, Bantry, 1844. Assistant 1879 Michael David Kennedy. Also agents for Durrus Estates. Subscriber memorial John O’Hea JP, Clonakilty, 1847. Probate 1880 to widow eliza £12,000. Thomas Richard Wright of Fern Hill, died 1880 he mentions his children and Rev. Richard Walton Marmion Standard Life Agent 1844. 1857 dinner for departing manager of National Bank, P.D. Griffin. Gave evidence Parliamentary Commission tht he persuaded Lord Shannon to withdraw his objection to railway coming to Clonakilty 1887 Chancey Court case involving recovery of seaweed at Friendly Cove, Durrus. Beamish v Crowley. Appearing for Beamish was Bewley Q.C., Trench Q.C., … Tuckey, instructed by John White. For Crowey, Piece White Q.C., , The McDermott, Q.C., Richard Wright, instructed by W. T. Wright , Clonakilty. The Crowleys are McDermotts descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages who migrated from Roscommon post 1200, to about 1600 often known as McDermott (as in Elizabeth Fiants) with a leas ainm (nickname) Crua Laoich (tough warrior) which supplant the McDermott. DNA confirms connection.

1843, 1844, 1845, 1847, 1858, 1860, 1865 Thomas Richard Wright Solicitor Fern Hill sons Henry Thomas 1850, Thomas Willam 1859, Solicitor. Signed Testimonial to Resident Magistrate, John Gore Jones, Bantry, 1844. Assistant 1879 Michael David Kennedy. Also agents for Durrus Estates. Subscriber memorial John O’Hea JP, Clonakilty, 1847. Probate 1880 to widow eliza £12,000. Standard Life Agent 1844

1887 Chancey Court case involving recovery of seaweed at Friendly Cove, Durrus. Beamish v Crowley. Appearing for Beamish was Bewley Q.C., Trench Q.C., … Tuckey, instructed by John White. For Crowey, Piece White Q.C., , The McDermott, Q.C., Richard Wright, instructed by W. T. Wright , Clonakilty. The Crowleys are McDermotts descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages who migrated from Roscommon post 1200, to about 1600 often known as McDermott (as in Elizabeth Fiants) with a leas ainm (nickname) Crua Laoich (tough warrior) which supplant the McDermott. DNA confirms connection.

Admitted a Solicitor 1891. President West Cork Bar Association. 1903 One of the 3 Founders of Clonakilty Agricultural Society, Honorary Treasurer of Carbery Hunt and Race Committee. Tourism Pioneer. Built Inchydoney Hotel 1932.

Connecting through the Wrights to Lord Atkin:

Robert Travers Atkin, (1841-1871), born in Fernhill, Clonakilty, the son of William Francis Atkin and his wife Alice Hungerford (née Stewart). In 1863, he emigrated to Queensland, Journalist Member Queensland Assembly. Father of Lord Atkin, Judge 1932 in Landmark Case on Law of Negligence Donoghue v Stevenson. Died of T.B. A monument was erected to his memory by the members of the Hibernian Society of Queensland, of which he was vice-pres. Relative of Thomas Davis. The Wright Brothers of Fernhill, Clonakilty, Lawyers and some Landowners.

Donoghue v Stevenson[edit]

Main article: Donoghue v Stevenson

In 1932, as a member of the House of Lords, he delivered the leading judgment in the landmark case of Donoghue v. Stevenson concerning the alleged adverse effects from an alleged snail in a bottle of ginger beer served in a café in Paisley. The case established the modern law of negligence in the UK and, indirectly, in most of the rest of the common law world.