Why is it called four courts?

Asked by: Nickolas Hackett Sr.  |  Last update: September 24, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (29 votes)

The Four Courts are so called because the building originally housed the four courts of Chancery, King's Bench, Exchequer and Common Pleas.

What are the Four Courts?

The Four Courts is the centre of legal life in Ireland. Located on Inns Quay in Dublin, the Four Courts houses the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the Dublin Circuit Court.

What happened at the Four Courts?

On 16th April 1922, 200 Anti-Treaty IRA under Rory O'Connor occupied the Four Courts. Under increasing pressure from Britain, the Free State forces accepted two artillery guns and began shelling the building on 28th June. Two days later a large explosion destroyed the building, leading to the surrender of the garrison.

Who occupied the Four Courts?

Days later O'Connor led a force of anti-Treaty troops to occupy the Four Courts in defiance of the Provisional Government. They hoped to provoke remaining British troops into attacking them, with the aim of reuniting the IRA against their common enemy.

Why is it called court?

The word court comes from the French cour, an enclosed yard, which derives from the Latin form cōrtem, the accusative case of cohors, which again means an enclosed yard or the occupants of such a yard.

The Four Courts 100 App, an introduction

38 related questions found

What does the name courts mean?

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Courts is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived at the court, a phrase which may have indicated either a large mansion or a tribunal.

Why is the court called the bar?

The origin of the term bar is from the barring furniture dividing a medieval European courtroom, which defined the areas restricted to lawyers and court personnel from which the general public was excluded.

What is the main cause of the Irish Civil War?

The signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921 triggered a short but bitter Civil War, during which more than a thousand Irish people died, including Michael Collins. After 18 months of guerrilla war, both the British government and the leaders of the IRA sought to bring this ugly conflict to an end.

Who assassinated Michael Collins?

Collins was 31 years old; At the time of his death, he was engaged to Kitty Kiernan. There is no consensus as to who fired the fatal shot. The most recent authoritative account suggests that the shot was fired by Denis (”Sonny”) O'Neill, an Anti-Treaty IRA fighter and a former British Army marksman who died in 1950.

Why did the IRA not like the Anglo-Irish Treaty?

They argued that the IRA's allegiance was to the Dáil of the Irish Republic and the decision of the Dáil to accept the Treaty meant that the IRA no longer owed that body its allegiance.

What are the 4 courts in order?

Court Role and Structure
  • Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. ...
  • Courts of Appeals. There are 13 appellate courts that sit below the U.S. Supreme Court, and they are called U.S. courts of appeals. ...
  • District Courts. ...
  • Bankruptcy Courts. ...
  • Article I Courts.

Why is Ireland called the free state?

The Irish state came into being in 1919 as the 32 county Irish Republic. In 1922, having seceded from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, it became the Irish Free State.

Who won the Irish Civil War?

The government of the Irish Free State (established as a provisional government in January 1922 and as a full government in December 1922) was ultimately victorious. The anti-Treaty forces called a ceasefire in April 1923 and ordered their men to "dump arms" in May 1923.

Where is the entrance to the Four Courts?

The Four Courts is located on Inns Quay, Dublin 7. All visitors must pass through a security check at the public entrance.

What are the names of the 4 courts in Oregon?

Oregon's state court system includes county circuit courts, along with the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court. Other courts such as municipal, county, justice, federal, and tribal courts are not part of the state-funded Oregon court system.

What is the rule of four in court?

On the face of it, the Supreme Court's “Rule of Four” is straightforward. Where the justices have discretion as to whether to hear an appeal, at least four of the Court's members must vote to grant a writ of certiorari, which facilitates a full review on the merits.

What were Michael Collins' last words?

One statement from the National Army's publicity department claimed that Collins, although fatally wounded, returned fire until the very end. His last words, according to that official account, were directed at his anti-Treaty opponents: 'Forgive them'.

Why didn't Michael Collins go on the moon?

Collins should originally have flown on Apollo 9, but a spinal injury and his need for surgery meant that he could not fly.

What was Michael Collins' famous quote?

If I am a traitor, let the Irish people decide it or not, and if there are men who act towards me as a traitor, I am prepared to meet them anywhere, any time, now as in the past. For that reason, I do not want the issue prejudged. I am in favour of a public session here now.

Is Ireland still divided?

Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially named Ireland), a sovereign state covering five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.

What stopped the Irish Civil War?

End of the war

By early 1923, the offensive capability of the IRA had been seriously eroded and when, in February 1923, the Republican leader Liam Deasy was captured by Free State forces, he called on the republicans to end their campaign and reach an accommodation with the Free State.

Are the Banshees of Inisherin about the Civil War?

The film is set on an island off the west coast of Ireland in 1923, towards the end of the gruesome civil war that pitched friends and siblings against each other.

What is a group of lawyers called?

A group of attorneys is called a law firm. A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more attorneys to provide legal services to clients. Law firms can vary in size and scope, from small solo practices to large multinational firms with hundreds of attorneys.

What does bench mean in court?

Bench refers to the seat where the judge sits in the courtroom, and the term is used to refer to the judge. It can be used to describe all the judges of a particular court, such as the second circuit bench, or “full bench”, which refers to all the judges of a court.

What is a lawyer license called?

In U.S. English, admission to the bar is also commonly known as obtaining one's "law license" ("licence" in Canadian English).