"Daniel O’Connell had very good reason for remembering the first brief that he had received, for it was the only one that came to him during his whole first year at the Irish bar.  It was marked with a fee of £2.5s.6d, which was, of course, all the money he earned in that period of twelve months." A barrister's first brief is a significant event, and often comes later than hoped for or expected. O'Connell went on to become the most successful Irish barrister of his generation, earning £4000 a year, an enormous sum at that time. Read about the first briefs of other famous barristers, including Lord Brougham, Henry Hawkins and Sir Walter Scott, here: ruthcannonbarristerhistory.c…

"Stables were erected for the convenience of students with equestrian tastes, and it is evident from the quantities of wine which appear to have been consumed about this time, that the prandial education of these young gentlemen was not neglected." Such was the Honourable Society of the King's Inns in its original incarnation on the site of the current Four Courts (b-l). Gifted to Irish barristers by Henry VIII (b-r), it was the third in a series of Irish Inns of Court, its predecessors Collet's Inns and Preston's Inns each having come in its turn to an unhappy and turbulent end. Read more about the early days of the Irish Inns of Court here: ruthcannon.com/2024/02/17/th…

Vain enough to drive to court every day robed, shrewd Frank Macdonough QC (b-l) had the last laugh when his wig saved him in a carriage accident; his loyal manservant, 'Faithful Rooney' was not so lucky. More about this Wodehousian pair here: ruthcannonbarristerhistory.c…