PR81/1/6 Legal Career (1928 – 1956)
PR81/1/6/E Judicial Career (1941 – 1956)
Reference: PR81/1/6/E/003 Date: 4 Jan 1941 - 8 August 1955 Title: Correspondence, Department of Justice Level: file Extent: 116 items Scope and Content:
Reference: PR81/1/6/E
Date: 1941 - 1956
Title: Level:
Judicial Career
File of correspondence, mainly incoming, mainly with the Department of Justice, but also with the court service, the Garda Siochana, the Department of Finance, and others. The letters concern subjects such as arrangements for sittings, inspections, sentencing, and travel and subsistence. Includes, eg, the following: 4 January 1941 Letter from Secretary, Department of Justice, informing Fawsitt that he has been assigned to the South Western Circuit for the period of his temporary appointment, 6 January to 31 March 23 January 1941 Letter from Garda Superintendent, Tralee, congratulating Fawsitt on his appointment and outlining ‘prevailing conditions’ in the region, and making reference to the legacy of the Civil War, including ‘organisations advocating physical force’, the O’Duffy Riots of October 1933, a strike in 1936, and Garda responses. He also advises of three upcoming cases. 3pp 5 March 1942 Letter from DoJ regarding petition on case of Donal McCarthy, sentenced on 28 July 1941 to 12 months hard labour, informing Fawsitt that the minister, after full consideration, to reduce the sentence, and that the prisoner is to be released on 10 March. 17 July 1944 Copy letter from Co Louth Sessional Bar Association to DoJ regarding a deputation to discuss arrears of work at Dundalk Circuit Court. 28 May 1945 DoJ letter re Judges’ views on retaining modifications to the jury system made under Emergency Powers Orders and the Juries Bill. 10 May 1946 Arklow UDC to Fawsitt, forwarding a resolution criticising a recent comment by him that Arklow was ‘a noisy seaside town’. 29 January 1949 Attorney General to Fawsitt, regarding files forwarded concerning civil case Lambert v Breen. 9 May 1950 Two orders by Daniel Morrissey, Minister of Justice, regarding committal of prisoners to Cork and Sligo Prisons. 10 March 1952 DoJ acknowledging Fawsitt’s views on a parliamentary question concerning West Wicklow litigants. 3 February 1953 DoJ concerning case of Patrick Savage, convicted at Kildare Court, informing Fawsitt that the minister, on full consideration of representations offered and compensation paid, has decided to remit the sentence.
Extent: 17 files and one sub-series of three files
sub-series
Scope and Content: Records relating to Fawsitt’s career as a judge (acting circuit court judge from 1941, appointed to the eastern circuit in June 1943, retired May 1956).
Reference: PR81/1/6/E/002 Date: 1941 - 1944 (1950-54) Title: Official Correspondence Level: file Extent: 36 items Scope and Content: File consisting mainly of letters received by Fawsitt in his capacity of circuit court judge from government departments and court officials relating to his functions, The file includes, eg: 9 January 1941, letter from Kerry County Registrar forwarding Sittings List 21 January 1941 letter from Charles Wyse Power forwarding documents regarding a criminal case at Castlebar (enclosure not present) 22 February 1941 Letter from J Dunphy, Garda Superintendent, Ballinasloe, forwarding list of cases for hearing at Galway Circuit Court 28 March 1941 Letter James J Berkery, County Commissioner, Limerick, inviting Fawsitt to attend Town Hall meeting of Taoiseach de Valera with regional commissioners and principal officers ‘to discuss... various problems affecting the country and the emergency’. 29 January 1942 telegram ‘Killarney four days Co Registrar’ [ie, Fawsitt to fill in for another judge] 30 January 1943 Letter regarding appointment of Diarmaid Fawsitt SC to an arbitration tribunal under the Emergency Powers Act, Emergency Powers (No 166) Order, 1942. [See also PR81/1/6/B/5] 11 February 1943 Letter from County Registrar, Cork Courthouse, regarding Fawsitt acting as deputy for Judge O’Connor (31 December 1942); 11 February 1943 Letter from Department of Justice re Judge O’Connor’s return to work 26 February 1943 Letter from Dept Justice notifying of assignment to North Western Circuit in February- March 20 March 1943 Letter from DoJ notifying appointment to NW circuit for March-April 9 June 1943 Letter from O’Hagan, Dundalk Circuit Court office, regarding publication of notice of postponement of sittings 30 June 1944 Dept of Finance note re Issue of Judicial Pensions 19 November 1950 invitation from Chief Superintendent, Garda Siochana, to a dance [Holy Year stamp, 2.5p] Three letters from WG Shannon (Judge) regarding income tax and leave (June-November 1954) Also present is a copy of a Department of Finance circular on travel and subsistence (1936) and some rough notes on court paper, evidently by Fawsitt, some of it verse, and none seeming to relate directly to cases.
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