Denis Caulfield Heron facts for kids
Denis Caulfield Heron (born February 16, 1824, in Dublin; died April 15, 1881, in County Galway) was an important Irish lawyer and politician. He was a Catholic member of the Liberal Party and served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Tipperary. He also worked as a senior legal adviser to the British Crown.
Denis was the oldest son of William Heron, a merchant, and Mary Maguire. He grew up in Dublin and went to school at Downside Abbey. Later, he studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he was recognized as a top student, called a Scholar.
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A Challenge for Fairness
In 1845, Denis Heron faced a big challenge at Trinity College Dublin. Even though he had passed his exams and earned a scholarship, he wasn't allowed to take it because he was Catholic. At that time, Trinity College was mainly for Protestants.
Denis decided to fight this unfair rule. He took his case to court, and the judges ordered the Archbishop of Dublin and the Primate of Ireland to make a decision. Sadly, they decided that Denis would still be excluded from the scholarship because of his religion.
Denis Heron's Legal Career
Denis Heron didn't let this stop him. In 1848, he earned his law degree and became a lawyer, which is called being "called to the Bar". By 1852, he was a professor of law (called jurisprudence) and economics (called political economy) at Queen's College, Galway.
He quickly became a very respected lawyer. In 1860, he was appointed a Queen's Counsel, which is a special title for experienced lawyers. He also became a "Bencher" at the King's Inn in 1872, which is like being on the governing board of a legal society.
From 1866 to 1868, Denis Heron worked as a Law Adviser to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In this role, he was involved in the trials that happened after the Fenian Rising of 1867, a rebellion in Ireland. In 1880, he became the Third Serjeant-at-law (Ireland), another very senior legal position. His promising career ended too soon when he passed away the next year.
His Time in Politics
In 1869, Denis Heron ran for election in the Tipperary area. He lost the first election to Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa. However, that election was declared invalid because Rossa was in prison. In the second election, Denis Heron won and became a member of the British Parliament. He represented Tipperary until 1874.
His Writings and Interests
Denis Heron was also a writer. He wrote several books about law and history, including:
- Constitutional History of the University of Dublin (1847)
- An Introduction to the History of Jurisprudence (1860)
- Principles of Jurisprudence (1873)
He was also a long-time member of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland, which studies facts and figures about society. He even served as its Vice-President for several years.
Later Life and Passing
Denis Caulfield Heron enjoyed sports. He died suddenly from a heart attack in April 1881 while he was salmon fishing in the Corrib River in County Galway.
He was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin. Many important legal and political figures from Ireland attended his funeral. He had been married to Emily FitzGerald, who passed away before him. They did not have any children.
