Family man who brought a 'selfless generosity of spirit' to his vital role in Tipperary courts

It has been 12 months since the courts had to close, due to the pandemic, save for emergency sittings. It was during recent, restricted access court sessions, in Clonmel Courthouse that tributes were paid to the late Bryan Maguire.

Mr Maguire, the former State Solicitor, passed away over a year ago.

At the sitting of the Circuit Court, presided over by Her Honour Judge Alice Doyle, and, at the sitting of the District Court, on the same day, presided over by Judge JW Terence Finn, a limited number of people heard of the high regard in which Bryan Maguire was held.

Judge Doyle remarked how she understood that he “was a mine of information in relation to title in conveyancing matters in Tipperary” but that, above all, he was “a family man”.

She said, for that reason, it “would have given Bryan great solace, to see his daughter, Deirdre Maguire, solicitor, and her husband, Patrick Bardon, solicitor, together with their children, his grandchildren, here today”.

Johnny Walshe, barrister, joined with all that Judge Doyle had to say.

He spoke about working with Bryan, when he served as State Solicitor, and how he was the last barrister to work with him, as a prosecutor.

He spoke about Bryan being “dedicated, in his work for his own clients, and dedicated, on the part of the State, when asked to do that job”.

Kieran Cleary, solicitor, Clonmel, spoke of how Bryan was regarded as the “solicitor’s solicitor” who assisted colleagues and imparted his knowledge of title and legal complexities to fellow colleagues.

Paul Morris, Coroner, South Tipperary, echoed that view and attributed “an attitude of optimism grounded in a deep faith, coupled with a selfless generosity of spirit towards other people” as the hallmark of Bryan’s character.

Generous Mentor

Paul Fitzpatrick, State Solicitor, expressed his appreciation for having had the “good fortune of working with Bryan, who was a formative influence and a generous mentor to so many solicitors during his career”.

Paul elaborated that during Bryan’s period “as State Solicitor between 1977 and 2000, he handled an ever-expanding case load. Bryan had a very strong and dignified presence in court and was a master of the law of evidence”.

respect

Chief Superintendent Derek Smart spoke on behalf of Superintendent William Leahy, and all his staff in Clonmel Garda District, and all the garda staff in south Tipperary, retired and current members.

He remarked on Bryan’s professional and personal attributes of “empathy, understanding and most of all, a high degree of respect for everyone”.

He said gardaí had the height of respect for Bryan, both as the State Solicitor and in his private practice.

Immense Knowledge

Jim Redmond, Clerk of the Courts Services, fondly recalled his first and last encounter with Bryan and how he was “one of nature’s gentlemen” who had “an immense knowledge of the law”.

Jim Redmond acknowledged that the loss of a loved one is always difficult but more profound and “extremely difficult” for the family in 2020, due to the pandemic restrictions.

Bryan’s daughter, Deirdre, acknowledged the kind words and tributes and thanked those present on behalf of the Maguire family, the present staff at Maguire Bardon Solicitors and past colleagues of O’Shee Murphy & Company. She said that Bryan continued to work into his 90th year, practised as a solicitor for 66 years, and inevitably left a huge legacy and a great void. She explained that his career choice may have been influenced by his parents and upbringing.

Both his parents were teachers in Golden and obviously, they instilled a keen sense of learning in Bryan and his three younger sisters.

The family read court reports and judgements and for entertainment, they would hold debates and mock trials around the table.

He did his apprenticeship in Anthony Carroll & Company, Fermoy, and then worked in Callan; set up on his own in Cashel and had a sub-office in Fethard.

He was then asked by Frank Murphy to join O’Shee Murphy & Company in New Quay, Clonmel, which changed the name to “Maguire Bardon” three years ago, to reflect the family business he developed.

The concluding tribute was paid by Judge Finn, who recalled his first encounters with Bryan, many decades earlier, when he was working as an apprentice solicitor to his own father in Mitchelstown.

ACCOMPLISHED AND

ERUDITE

He said that when the pair of them “travelled into the depths of Tipperary, meeting Bryan, as a private practitioner initially, and then when he took on the job of State Solicitor” he always found him to be “knowledgeable, accomplished and erudite, with no sense of self-importance, a man who knew his law, and was always prepared to engage with anyone, and to meet a case fair and square”.

Lasting legacy

Judge Finn said that following his appointment to the bench, he would not have encountered Bryan so frequently; when he did, he found “his paperwork accomplished, and his presentation of matters to the court was exemplary”.

Judge Finn extended his sympathy to Deirdre, who had “followed into her father’s footsteps and onto the court scene” and to the entire family, as well as “to all the office staff, who had the benefit of Bryan’s presence over several decades” and who would carry on his lasting legacy.