Cahir Davitt
Encyclopedia
Cahir Davitt was an Irish Judge.
He was born in County Dublin
one 15 August 1894 as the second son of the Fenian
and Land Leaguer Michael Davitt
. He studied at St Michael's Christian Brothers Dun Laoghaire, Presentation Brothers Glasthule and O’Connells CBS in Dublin and continued his education in UCD and the King’s Inns, being called to the Bar in January 1916.
(1919–21) Davitt was appointed as a Dáil Courts
Judge in 1920 and sat throughout the country while evading British Forces. Following the July 1921 truce, he was appointed at the age of 27 by Michael Collins
as Judge Advocate-General of the then Irish Republic
. This became contentious on the outbreak of the Irish Civil War
(1922–23) and Davitt was critical of what he referred to as ‘drumhead’ Courts-Martial, and on one occasion he prevented the execution of a civilian spy convicted by a military court in Cathal Brugha barracks by pointing out that shooting him would be murder in law, and might be prosecuted as such if the other side won. He was responsible for drafting the first manual of regulations for the Free State Army and is credited with laying the foundations for what was to become the Army Legal Services.
judge in November 1926 and then a few months later in 1927 as a full Circuit Court Judge. He chaired the Great Southern Railways
Stocks transactions Tribunal from 1943 to 1944. He was appointed to the High Court in 1945 and became President of the High Court in 1951, an office he held until his retirement in 1966. He died on the 1 March 1986.
Davitt's unsympathetic 1965 judgment on the management of the Lissadell estate came in for criticism from a youthful Anne Robinson
in 1970.
Youth
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
one 15 August 1894 as the second son of the Fenian
Fenian
The Fenians , both the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood , were fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish Republic in the 19th and early 20th century. The name "Fenians" was first applied by John O'Mahony to the members of the Irish republican...
and Land Leaguer Michael Davitt
Michael Davitt
Michael Davitt was an Irish republican and nationalist agrarian agitator, a social campaigner, labour leader, journalist, Home Rule constitutional politician and Member of Parliament , who founded the Irish National Land League.- Early years :Michael Davitt was born in Straide, County Mayo,...
. He studied at St Michael's Christian Brothers Dun Laoghaire, Presentation Brothers Glasthule and O’Connells CBS in Dublin and continued his education in UCD and the King’s Inns, being called to the Bar in January 1916.
Military service
During the Irish War of IndependenceIrish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
(1919–21) Davitt was appointed as a Dáil Courts
Dáil Courts
During the Irish War of Independence, the Dáil Courts were the judicial branch of government of the short-lived Irish Republic. They were formally established by a decree of the First Dáil Éireann on 29 June 1920, replacing more limited Arbitration Courts that had been authorised a year earlier...
Judge in 1920 and sat throughout the country while evading British Forces. Following the July 1921 truce, he was appointed at the age of 27 by Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
as Judge Advocate-General of the then Irish Republic
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic was a revolutionary state that declared its independence from Great Britain in January 1919. It established a legislature , a government , a court system and a police force...
. This became contentious on the outbreak of the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
(1922–23) and Davitt was critical of what he referred to as ‘drumhead’ Courts-Martial, and on one occasion he prevented the execution of a civilian spy convicted by a military court in Cathal Brugha barracks by pointing out that shooting him would be murder in law, and might be prosecuted as such if the other side won. He was responsible for drafting the first manual of regulations for the Free State Army and is credited with laying the foundations for what was to become the Army Legal Services.
Judicial career
He was appointed as an assistant Circuit CourtCircuit Court (Ireland)
The Circuit Court is an intermediate level court of local and limited jurisdiction in the Republic of Ireland which hears both civil and criminal matters. On the criminal side the Circuit Court hears criminal matters tried on indictment with a judge and jury, except for certain serious crimes...
judge in November 1926 and then a few months later in 1927 as a full Circuit Court Judge. He chaired the Great Southern Railways
Great Southern Railways
The Great Southern Railways Company was an Irish company that from 1925 until 1945 owned and operated all railways that lay wholly within the Irish Free State .-Formation:...
Stocks transactions Tribunal from 1943 to 1944. He was appointed to the High Court in 1945 and became President of the High Court in 1951, an office he held until his retirement in 1966. He died on the 1 March 1986.
Davitt's unsympathetic 1965 judgment on the management of the Lissadell estate came in for criticism from a youthful Anne Robinson
Anne Robinson
Anne Josephine Robinson is an English journalist and television presenter, known for her assertive views and acerbic style of presenting. She was one of the presenters on the long-running British consumer affairs series, Watchdog, from 1993 to 2001 before returning in 2009...
in 1970.