Irish and Northern Ireland legal professions honour Somme killed

The event, hosted by the Courts Centenary Commemoration Committee, heard from representatives of The Bar of Ireland, The Bar of Northern Ireland and the Law Society of Ireland.

John Guerin, president of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, attended the event to represent the solicitor profession of Northern Ireland.

David Nolan SC, former chairman of the Bar of Ireland, spoke at the opening of the event and was followed by Gerry McAlinden QC, chairman of the Bar of Northern Ireland.

Mr McAlinden said: “I am honoured to speak at this important event honouring the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the battle of the Somme in 1916.

“To this day there are tributes to these brave soldiers throughout legal buildings within Northern Ireland, namely Londonderry Courthouse, Crumlin Road Courthouse and the Royal Courts of Justice.”

He added: “At the beginning of my Chairmanship of the Bar of Northern Ireland in September 2014, I paid tribute to all the members of the Irish Bar who had died in World War 1 on the 100th anniversary of the start of that awful conflict.

“I now pay specific tribute to the two Barristers and two Solicitors whose names appear on the Memorials in the Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast who died one hundred years ago at the Somme.”

Members of the Northern Circuits of the Bar who died in the battle were Thomas J. Atkinson, James K. Macgregor Greer MC, James Proctor and William Magee Crozier.

Solicitor Ciaran O’Mara spoke at the event on behalf of the Law Society of Ireland.