Hugh Law
Encyclopedia
Hugh Law PC (Ire)
, QC
(19 June 1818 – 10 September 1883) was an Irish
lawyer, politician and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
.
Law was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
where he received a Bachelor of Arts
in 1839. He became a barrister
in 1840 and a Queen's Counsel
in 1860. He drafted the Irish Church Act 1869 which disestablished the Church of Ireland
.
He became legal adviser to the Liberal
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Spencer
) in 1868. He became a bencher of King's Inns in 1870 and was appointed in succession Solicitor-General for Ireland
in 1872, Attorney-General for Ireland
in 1873 a member of the Irish Privy Council on 24 February 1874. In 1874 he was elected a Member of Parliament
for Londonderry
. He was appointed Attorney-General by Liberal Prime Minister Gladstone
in 1880 before becoming Lord Chancellor of Ireland
in 1881.
Hugh Law died unexpectedly on 10 September 1883.
One of his sons, Hugh Law, bought the historic Ardbraccan House
, former palace of the Lord Bishop of Meath, from the Church of Ireland in 1885. His grandson, also called Hugh Law, sat initially as a Nationalist MP in the House of Commons and later served in Dáil Éireann
as a Cumann na nGaedheal TD
from June 1927 until 1932.
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(19 June 1818 – 10 September 1883) was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
lawyer, politician and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
.
Law was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
where he received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1839. He became a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in 1840 and a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1860. He drafted the Irish Church Act 1869 which disestablished the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
.
He became legal adviser to the Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
Lord Spencer
John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer KG, PC , known as Viscount Althorp from 1845 to 1857 , was a British Liberal Party politician under and close friend of British prime minister William Ewart Gladstone...
) in 1868. He became a bencher of King's Inns in 1870 and was appointed in succession Solicitor-General for Ireland
Solicitor-General for Ireland
The Solicitor-General for Ireland was the holder of an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was a deputy to the Attorney-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters. At least one holder of the office, Patrick Barnewall played a significant role in...
in 1872, Attorney-General for Ireland
Attorney-General for Ireland
The Attorney-General for Ireland was an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was senior to the Solicitor-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters...
in 1873 a member of the Irish Privy Council on 24 February 1874. In 1874 he was elected a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Londonderry
Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)
Londonderry was a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also a constituency in elections to various regional bodies. It was replaced in boundary changes in 1983...
. He was appointed Attorney-General by Liberal Prime Minister Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
in 1880 before becoming Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
in 1881.
Hugh Law died unexpectedly on 10 September 1883.
One of his sons, Hugh Law, bought the historic Ardbraccan House
Ardbraccan House
Ardbraccan House is a large Palladian country house in County Meath in the Republic of Ireland...
, former palace of the Lord Bishop of Meath, from the Church of Ireland in 1885. His grandson, also called Hugh Law, sat initially as a Nationalist MP in the House of Commons and later served in Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
as a Cumann na nGaedheal TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
from June 1927 until 1932.