Launch of The Irish Courts Podcast

Pictured above (L-R): Chief Justice O'Donnell, Maura O'Looney (retired probation officer and podcast contributor), Judge Gráinne Malone

On 5 November, a reception was held to formally launch The Irish Courts Podcast. The series, which comprises five episodes, was curated as part of a wider programme of events and projects to commemorate the centenary of the Courts of Justice Act 1924 which established Ireland’s independent courts system following the foundation of the Irish Free State. The Centenary Subcommittee, an off-shoot of the wider Decade of Centenaries Committee, was chaired by Chief Justice O’Donnell and featured judicial representatives from each jurisdiction and officials from the Office of the Chief Justice, the Communications and Media Unit and the Judicial Support Unit of the Courts Service.

The curation of series content was led by Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley, Mr Justice Cian Ferriter, and Judge Gráinne Malone, and the series was produced by Patricia Baker of Curious Broadcasts with the support of the Communications and Media Unit. The following episodes are now all available to listen to here:

• ‘From Revolution to a New Courts System’ featuring Chief Justice O’Donnell and Mr Justice Gerard Hogan.
• ‘Eileen Kennedy, Ireland’s First Woman Judge’ featuring Dr Eoin O’Sullivan, Pól Ó Murchú, Judge Patricia Cronin, and Maura O’Looney.
• ‘Two Seminal District Court Cases: The State (Healy) v. Donoghue, DPP v. Gary Doyle’ featuring former Chief Justice Frank Clarke, Mr Justice John MacMenamin, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and James Dwyer SC.
• ‘The Julia Clarke Case: Jail for a Kiss’ featuring Dr Niamh Howlin and Dr Mary McAuliffe.
• ‘The David Norris Case’ featuring Mary McAleese, Colm Tóibín and David Norris.
  

Speaking at the launch, Chief Justice O’Donnell remarked:

“The Irish Courts podcast series, like the other projects I have just mentioned, is the culmination of months of tireless work, in particular by Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley, Mr Justice Cian Ferriter, Judge Gráinne Malone, Patricia Baker, the Communications Unit within the Courts Service, and all of the contributors. I understand that four of the five episodes are now available, with the final episode due to be released this Thursday. The aim, when we set out to brainstorm the topics for these podcasts, was to curate a series which would capture the human interest side of law and bring to life some of the stories, big and small, which have taken place against the backdrop of our courts system, and in their own ways have impacted Irish society. Thanks to the enthusiasm and generosity of our contributors… I believe that objective has been achieved.”