John Donohoe FitzGerald

“ At the general election in January 1835 he was returned for Dungarvan, and, on the formation of Lord Melbourne's second government in that year, became again solicitor-general for Ireland, and in August of the same year attorney-general. In November 1836 he was appointed a baron of the court of exchequer in Ireland, and in the following January he succeeded Sir William McMahon [q. v.] as master of the rolls. He was the first catholic law officer and the first catholic judge in Ireland since the reign of James II. In 1838, on the coronation of the queen, he was created a baronet. ”

“ KEOGH, WILLIAM NICHOLAS (1817–1878) , Irish judge, belonged to a Roman catholic family formerly settled at Keoghville, co. Roscommon. He was born at Galway on 7 Dec. 1817. His father, William M. Keogh, was a solicitor, and sometime clerk of the crown for the county of Kilkenny; his mother was Mary, daughter of Mr. Austin Ffrench of Rahoon, co. Galway. He was educated at the school of the Rev. Dr. Huddard in Mountjoy Square, Dublin, then in high repute, entered Trinity College, Dublin, in 1832, and obtained honours in science in his first and second years. ”

“ From 1836 to 1840 he resided at Newry, editing the 'Newry Examiner,' and practising on circuit, principally in the defence of prisoners. His conduct of the paper was warmly praised by O'Connell: 'I was assailed at every turn, and defended with zeal and spirit by nobody save the "Newry Examiner," a paper to which I really am more indebted than to any other in Ireland' (Correspondence of O'Connell, 23 Oct. 1838, ii. 154) . In 1840 O'Hagan removed to Dublin, and, though still contributing to the press, devoted his attention mainly to the bar. ”

“ During the next six years O'Hagan sat regularly in the House of Lords on the hearing of appeals. His judgments will be found in vol. vii. of 'English and Irish Appeal Cases,' and vols. i.–v. of ' Appeal Cases ' in the 'Law Reports.' In 1875 he was selected to deliver the O'Connell centenary address in Dublin; the illness of a near relative prevented its actual delivery, but it was printed and circulated. A similar task was assiraed to him at the Moore centenary in 1878; twenty-one years before he had made the principal speech on the unveiling of Moore's statue in Dublin. ”

“ HUGHES, HENRY GEORGE (1810–1872) , Irish judge, born in Dublin on 22 Aug. 1810, was eldest son of James Hughes, solicitor, of Dublin, by his wife Margaret, daughter of Trevor Stannus Morton of Dublin,solicitor. Hughes received his early education at a private school in Jervis Street, Dublin, and subsequently entered Trinity College, but did not proceed to a degree. In Hilary term 1830 he was admitted a student of the King's Inns, Dublin, and in Trinity term 1832 of Gray's Inn, London ”

“ Its main object was to prevent any partiality by the sheriff or his officers in the framing of the jury panel; this object it successfully effected, but it also altered the qualification of jurors, and admitted to the jury-box a class of men who were hardly fitted for the position. ”

“ His action largely increased his reputation and popularity in Ireland. He was the principal speaker at a mass-meeting of Roman catholics held in Dublin in August 1851 to protest against the measure, and was one of the founders of the Catholic Defence Association established in consequence of it. ”

“ He left in his third year without having taken a degree. While at Trinity he was a frequent speaker in the debates of the Historical Society, and was awarded the first prize for oratory at the age of nineteen. ”