Peter O'Brien, 1st Baron O'Brien, PC, QC (29 June 1842 – 7 September 1914), known as Sir Peter O'Brien, Bt, between 1891 and 1900, was an Irish lawyer and judge. He served as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland between 1889 and 1913. In his lifetime he was universally known as Peter the Packer, due to the skill he displayed as Attorney-General in securing verdicts by packed juries.
O'Brien joined the Munstercircuit and built up a successful practice, and in 1880 became a Queen's Counsel. The following year he was appointed Junior CrownCounsel at Green Street, Dublin, becoming Senior in 1882, and was made a bencher of the King's Inns in 1884.[3]
He was one of the principal prosecutors in the Phoenix Park murders, and it is said that his life was threatened as a result. He unsuccessfully stood for the House of Commons as the Liberal candidate for County Clare in 1879: his defeat is said to have been due to his opposition to Irish Home Rule.[1]
In 1887 O'Brien was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland, becoming Attorney-General for Ireland and an Irish Privy Counsellor the following year. He was finally appointed Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in 1889, holding the office for 24 years. As Attorney General he was considered to be a highly efficient civil servant; even Arthur Balfour, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, who thought poorly of most of the Irish Law Officers who served under him, praised O'Brien for his hard work. He showed great skill in "packing" juries in politically sensitive cases with jurors who could be trusted to convict, thus earning the nickname "Peter the Packer", which stuck to him all his life.[citation needed]
Opinions on his judicial ability vary. A. M. Sullivan wrote that as a pupil of the great Chief Baron Christopher Palles he must have learned the principles of common law but, though intelligent, he was generally too lazy to apply them. Palles himself is said to have remarked of one of O'Brien's judgments "you never learned that law from me!". However, his judgement in R. (Bridgeman) v. Drury [1894] 2 I.R. 489 where he refused to allow the members of Dublin Corporation to charge the ratepayers of Dublin for a particularly lavish picnic, is still often quoted both for its legal principle and its remarkable wit and humour. His judgment in Ussher v Ussher (1912), on whether a marriage conducted according to the Roman Catholic rite can be valid if there is only one witness to it, has also been praised as "careful and erudite." Hr was notoriously susceptible to female charms: it was said that a pretty young lady was generally treated as a conclusive witness for whichever side she appeared.[citation needed]
He was created a Baronet, of Merrion Square in the County of the City of Dublin, on 28 September 1891,[4] and was ennobled as Baron O'Brien, of Kilfenora in the County of Clare, in 1900.[5]
Personal life
Lord O'Brien married Annie Clarke, daughter of Robert Hare Clarke of Bansha Castle, County Tipperary, and his second wife Anne Butler in 1867 and had three children: James, who died young, Ellen (who died in 1930) and Anne Georgina.
Lord O'Brien also had an Irish mistress, based in London, called Mary McNally with whom he separately had 4 children, who went by the name of Blake.
His only legitimate son having predeceased him, he died without male heirs at Airfield, Stillorgan, County Dublin, on 7 September 1914, his barony and baronetcy thus becoming extinct.
His daughter, Annie Georgina O'Brien, published an affectionate memoir of her father a few years after his death.[6] His main personal foibles were his refusal to wear the judicial wig, and a lisp so pronounced that it often made his remarks from the Bench difficult to follow.[citation needed]
Maurice Healy in his own memoir The Old Munster Circuit described O'Brien as a man of considerable legal ability and great natural kindness, who was deservedly very popular. On the other hand, he was rather vain and self-important, and inclined to stand on the dignity of his office.[7]
peter, brien, baron, brien, june, 1842, september, 1914, known, peter, brien, between, 1891, 1900, irish, lawyer, judge, served, lord, chief, justice, ireland, between, 1889, 1913, lifetime, universally, known, peter, packer, skill, displayed, attorney, genera. Peter O Brien 1st Baron O Brien PC QC 29 June 1842 7 September 1914 known as Sir Peter O Brien Bt between 1891 and 1900 was an Irish lawyer and judge He served as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland between 1889 and 1913 In his lifetime he was universally known as Peter the Packer due to the skill he displayed as Attorney General in securing verdicts by packed juries The Right HonourableThe Lord O BrienPC QCLord O Brien Lord Chief Justice of IrelandIn office 1889 1913MonarchsVictoria Edward VII George VPreceded bySir Michael Morris BtSucceeded byRichard Robert CherryPersonal detailsBorn29 June 1842Carnelly House Clarecastle County ClareDied7 September 1914 1914 09 08 aged 72 Airfield Stillorgan County DublinNationalityIrishAlma materTrinity College Dublin Contents 1 Background and education 2 Legal and judicial career 3 Personal life 4 Arms 5 ReferencesBackground and education EditO Brien was born at Carnelly House Clarecastle County Clare 1 the fifth son of John O Brien Liberal Member of Parliament for Limerick and his wife Ellen Murphy daughter of Jeremiah Murphy of Hyde Park County Cork He was a nephew of Mr Justice James O Brien of the Court of King s Bench Ireland 2 He was educated at Clongowes Wood College and Trinity College Dublin and was called to the Irish Bar in 1865 1 Legal and judicial career EditO Brien joined the Munster circuit and built up a successful practice and in 1880 became a Queen s Counsel The following year he was appointed Junior Crown Counsel at Green Street Dublin becoming Senior in 1882 and was made a bencher of the King s Inns in 1884 3 He was one of the principal prosecutors in the Phoenix Park murders and it is said that his life was threatened as a result He unsuccessfully stood for the House of Commons as the Liberal candidate for County Clare in 1879 his defeat is said to have been due to his opposition to Irish Home Rule 1 In 1887 O Brien was appointed Solicitor General for Ireland becoming Attorney General for Ireland and an Irish Privy Counsellor the following year He was finally appointed Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in 1889 holding the office for 24 years As Attorney General he was considered to be a highly efficient civil servant even Arthur Balfour the Chief Secretary for Ireland who thought poorly of most of the Irish Law Officers who served under him praised O Brien for his hard work He showed great skill in packing juries in politically sensitive cases with jurors who could be trusted to convict thus earning the nickname Peter the Packer which stuck to him all his life citation needed Opinions on his judicial ability vary A M Sullivan wrote that as a pupil of the great Chief Baron Christopher Palles he must have learned the principles of common law but though intelligent he was generally too lazy to apply them Palles himself is said to have remarked of one of O Brien s judgments you never learned that law from me However his judgement in R Bridgeman v Drury 1894 2 I R 489 where he refused to allow the members of Dublin Corporation to charge the ratepayers of Dublin for a particularly lavish picnic is still often quoted both for its legal principle and its remarkable wit and humour His judgment in Ussher v Ussher 1912 on whether a marriage conducted according to the Roman Catholic rite can be valid if there is only one witness to it has also been praised as careful and erudite Hr was notoriously susceptible to female charms it was said that a pretty young lady was generally treated as a conclusive witness for whichever side she appeared citation needed He was created a Baronet of Merrion Square in the County of the City of Dublin on 28 September 1891 4 and was ennobled as Baron O Brien of Kilfenora in the County of Clare in 1900 5 Personal life EditLord O Brien married Annie Clarke daughter of Robert Hare Clarke of Bansha Castle County Tipperary and his second wife Anne Butler in 1867 and had three children James who died young Ellen who died in 1930 and Anne Georgina Lord O Brien also had an Irish mistress based in London called Mary McNally with whom he separately had 4 children who went by the name of Blake His only legitimate son having predeceased him he died without male heirs at Airfield Stillorgan County Dublin on 7 September 1914 his barony and baronetcy thus becoming extinct His daughter Annie Georgina O Brien published an affectionate memoir of her father a few years after his death 6 His main personal foibles were his refusal to wear the judicial wig and a lisp so pronounced that it often made his remarks from the Bench difficult to follow citation needed Maurice Healy in his own memoir The Old Munster Circuit described O Brien as a man of considerable legal ability and great natural kindness who was deservedly very popular On the other hand he was rather vain and self important and inclined to stand on the dignity of his office 7 Arms EditCoat of arms of Peter O Brien 1st Baron O Brien Notes Confirmed 1 September 1891 by Sir John Bernard Burke Ulster King of Arms 8 Crest An arm embowed vested Azure brandishing a sword Argent hilt and pommel Or and charged with a fasces in pale Proper Escutcheon Gules three lions passant guardant in pale per pale Or and Argent a chief of the second Motto Vigueur De DessusReferences Edit a b c Biography clarelibrary ie Accessed 24 December 2022 Ball F Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221 1921 John Murray London 1926 volume II p 38 Hart A R A History of the King s Serjeants at law in Ireland Dublin Four Courts Press 2000 p 177 No 26207 The London Gazette 29 September 1891 p 5086 No 27202 The London Gazette 15 June 1902 p 3751 G O Brien Reminisces of the Right Hon Lord O Brien 1916 Healy Maurice The Old Munster Circuit London Michael Joseph Ltd 1939 Grants and Confirmations of Arms Vol H National Library of Ireland 1880 p 248 Retrieved 18 August 2022 Legal officesPreceded byJohn George Gibson Solicitor General for Ireland1887 1888 Succeeded byDodgson Hamilton MaddenPreceded byJohn George Gibson Attorney General for Ireland1888 1889 Succeeded byDodgson Hamilton MaddenPreceded bySir Michael Morris Bt Lord Chief Justice of Ireland1889 1913 Succeeded byRichard Robert CherryPeerage of the United KingdomNew creation Baron O Brien1900 1914 ExtinctBaronetage of the United KingdomNew creation Baronet of Kilfenora 1891 1914 Extinct Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Peter O 27Brien 1st Baron O 27Brien amp oldid 1165445435, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
