Alexander George Richey facts for kids

Alexander George Richey (born 1830, died 1883) was an important Irish lawyer and historian. He is known for his work on Irish history and laws.

Early Life and Education

Alexander George Richey was born in 1830. His father was Alexander Richey from Mountemple, in Coolock, County Dublin. He went to school at Dungannon Royal School. In 1848, he started studying at Trinity College, Dublin. He was a very good student. He earned his first degree (B.A.) in 1853. He won a special gold medal for his studies in classics (like ancient Greek and Roman history and languages). He continued his studies, earning more degrees in law (LL.B. in 1855 and LL.D. in 1873).

Career as a Lawyer and Professor

In 1855, Richey became a barrister. A barrister is a type of lawyer who argues cases in court. He became a very senior barrister in 1871. This is called "taking silk" because senior barristers wear special silk gowns. In 1871, he also became a professor at Trinity College. He taught about old English and feudal law. Feudal law was a system of laws about land and loyalty in the Middle Ages. Richey was also involved in important groups. He was the vice-president of the Royal Irish Academy. This group promotes learning and research in Ireland. He was also an auditor and prizeman of the College Historical Society. This is a famous student society at Trinity College. Alexander George Richey passed away in Dublin on November 29, 1883. He was buried a few days later in Mount Jerome cemetery.

His Important Writings

Richey wrote several important books and articles. He focused on Irish history and laws.

Books on Irish History

• Lectures on the History of Ireland: These were two sets of talks he gave.
  • The first set was given at Alexandra College in Dublin. It covered Irish history up to the year 1534.
  • The second set was given at Trinity College. It went up to the time of the plantation of Ulster. This was when many people from England and Scotland moved to Ulster in Ireland.
• These lectures were later put together into a book called A Short History of the Irish People, down to the Plantation of Ulster (1887). This book was published after he died.

Books on Irish Law

• The Irish Land Laws (1880): This book was about the laws related to land in Ireland.
• It was considered a very important book. A famous British Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone, even mentioned it during debates about a new land law in 1881.

Other Contributions

Richey also helped edit volumes three and four of the Brehon laws. These were very old laws from ancient Ireland. He wrote introductions for these books. He also wrote many articles for well-known magazines like The Athenæum and Saturday Review.

Family

Alexander George Richey married the older daughter of Major-general Henry Smith. She was from Bathboys, County Wicklow. He was survived by his wife, three sons, and two daughters.