Gerald FitzGibbon (judge, born 1837) facts for kids

Gerald FitzGibbon (born 1837, died 1909) was a very important Irish lawyer and judge. Many people thought he was one of the best legal minds of his time. His family had a long history of famous lawyers, with three generations named Gerald FitzGibbon!

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable Gerald FitzGibbon
FitzGibbon's statue in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
Lord Justice of the Irish Court of Appeal
In office 1878–1909
Monarch	Victoria
Preceded by	Rickard Deasy
Succeeded by	Charles Robert Barry
Solicitor-General for Ireland
In office 3 March 1877 – 1878
Monarch	Victoria
Preceded by	Hon. David Plunket
Succeeded by	Hugh Holmes
Personal details
Born	1837
Died	14 October 1909
Nationality	Irish
Spouse	Margaret Ann FitzGerald
Alma mater	Trinity College Dublin

Early Life and Education

Gerald was the older son of Gerald FitzGibbon, who was also a famous lawyer. His mother was Ellen Patterson from Belfast. His younger brother, Henry, became a well-known doctor.

Gerald studied at Trinity College Dublin, a famous university. He loved Trinity College very much and stayed loyal to it his whole life. He even spoke up for the college in 1906.

Becoming a Lawyer

In 1857, Gerald began his legal training. He became a lawyer in Ireland in 1860 and in England the next year. He quickly became very busy, working on many cases.

People admired his legal skills and how well he spoke in court. A writer named Maurice Healy said Gerald had a "beautiful voice." This, along with his natural acting ability, made his arguments very convincing.

One of his famous cases was O'Keeffe v Cardinal Cullen. In this case, a Catholic priest sued a powerful Cardinal, and Gerald helped the priest win. Another important case was Bagot v Bagot, about a disputed will. Gerald's powerful arguments convinced the jury that a man's will was written when he was confused, helping a young boy inherit his father's property.

Gerald became a Queen's Counsel in 1872. This is a special title for experienced lawyers. His portrait hangs in the Dining Hall of the King's Inns, a place for Irish lawyers.

In 1876, he became a legal advisor to the leader of Ireland. The next year, he became the Solicitor-General for Ireland, a top government lawyer.

Serving as a Judge

In 1878, Gerald FitzGibbon was appointed a judge in the Court of Appeal in Ireland. Everyone, including other lawyers and newspapers, approved of this choice. They praised his fair political views and his excellent legal skills. He served as a judge for over thirty years.

A Respected Judge

The Court of Appeal where FitzGibbon served was considered one of the strongest courts in Ireland. This was because of brilliant judges like FitzGibbon himself, Hugh Holmes, and Christopher Palles. While Palles is often called the greatest judge of that time, some people thought FitzGibbon was just as good. It's interesting that when higher courts reviewed cases where FitzGibbon disagreed with his fellow judges, they often agreed with him.

Maurice Healy, a writer, felt that FitzGibbon sometimes showed a bit too much sympathy for one side in a case. However, Healy also said that appearing before FitzGibbon was "an intellectual treat." This was because FitzGibbon was always polite and deeply interested in the legal arguments. Other experts praised FitzGibbon for his deep knowledge and strong sense of fairness. He would always try to find a way to rule in favor of the person he believed was right.

Important Cases: Quinn v Leathem

FitzGibbon often traveled to Belfast for court cases. In 1896, he was the judge in a famous case called Quinn v Leathem. This case was about whether a group of trade union members could ask a business owner to only work with people who hired union workers. The higher court later decided that this was a "conspiracy" to harm the business, even though one person doing it alone was allowed. FitzGibbon's ruling at the time followed the law as it was understood.

His Judicial Style

FitzGibbon wrote his judgments very clearly and directly. He often started with a strong sentence, like "I doubt that the King's Bench can have been conscious of the consequences of its decision in this case."

In another case, Aaron's Reefs v Twiss, the court had to decide if a company's statements were just "optimistic" or actually dishonest. FitzGibbon said that hiding important facts is just as bad as lying. He famously said that "if a company cannot be floated if the whole truth be disclosed by its prospectus, it cannot be honestly launched at all." When someone argued that this high standard would stop most companies from starting, he simply replied, "So much the better."

Political and Social Life

FitzGibbon was a Conservative in politics. He was a close friend of Lord Randolph Churchill, a famous politician. Churchill once wrote to FitzGibbon about using the "Orange card" to oppose Irish Home Rule, which was about Ireland governing itself.

However, FitzGibbon was known for being fair and moderate. He had many friends from different political backgrounds. His daughter Anne even married a relative of William Gladstone, a famous Liberal Prime Minister.

His home, Kilrock, on the Hill of Howth, was a popular place for social gatherings in Dublin. He entertained many important Irish and British politicians there. His Christmas parties at Kilrock were famous for many years.

FitzGibbon was a very knowledgeable person with many interests outside of law. He was a dedicated member of the Church of Ireland. He was considered a very influential Protestant leader of his time. He even has a statue in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. He was also an active Freemason and gave a lot of his time and money to their charities.

He cared deeply about education in Ireland. He led a committee on educational funding from 1885 to 1897. He also spoke to a Royal Commission in 1906 about the future of Trinity College Dublin. He defended the university's policy of allowing Catholics to study there. He pointed out that Chief Baron Palles, a respected judge and Catholic, had studied there and loved the college. He also praised Clongowes Wood College, a Catholic school, as an excellent example of education.

He was a member of both the Irish and British Privy Council, which are groups of advisors to the monarch.

Death and Tributes

Gerald FitzGibbon died suddenly at his home, Kilrock, on October 14, 1909. The very next day, the top judge in England spoke in court to honor him. He called FitzGibbon "that great judge, profound lawyer and man of wide and varied learning." This was a rare honor for an Irish judge. The Times newspaper also praised him, saying his talents could have made him a top politician.

He is buried in old St. Fintan's Cemetery, Sutton. His statue stands in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.

Family Life

In 1864, Gerald married Margaret Ann FitzGerald. Her father, Francis Alexander FitzGerald, was also a judge. Gerald and Margaret had seven children. One of their sons, also named Gerald FitzGibbon, became a judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland. One of his daughters, Janet, married a General, and another daughter, Anne, married John Gladstone, a relative of the famous Prime Minister. The family belonged to the Church of Ireland.

In Literature

Gerald FitzGibbon is briefly mentioned in the famous novel Ulysses by James Joyce.

Images for kids

• 

  FitzGibbon's statue in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.