The Irish standard., 1914-09-26
digestive apparatus of savage. Sic
transit gloria eugenia. Nothing could
be more certain than that.
DEATH Of LORD QBR|EN
Late Lord Chief Justice
A Remarkable Career.

The death took place on Monday at
his Dublin residence, Airfield, Don
nybrook, of Lord O'Brien of Kilfen-
ora, late Lord Chief Justice of Ire
land.
1t was only at the end of last year
that Lord O'Brien retired from the
Chief Justiceship, which post he had
had for quarter of century. He
had been ailing for some time, but it
was hoped that he would recover,
and it was arranged that he should
take trip abroad when convalescent.
A couple of weeks ago, however, his
condition became worse and his
strength gradually failed until he
passed away Monday afternoon.
His death means the removal of an
interesting and in many respects a
remarkable personality, one who
through large part of his career
filled a noteworthy and prominent
part in the later chapters of the trou-
bled history of this country. There
are few in Ireland, even of the pres
ent generation, who are not more or
less familiar with the activities of
the man who for more than half his
life had born the distinction of the
unenviable title "Pether the Packer"
The asperities OF the times which won
him that title have long since be-
come softened, and in the appraising
of his character the bitterness of the
past will not prejudice the public
verdict of today.
Lord O'Brien's Career.
Lord O'Brien was born in County
Glare in June, 1912. He came of
family interested in the wine trade
in Limerick, and his father, Mr.. John
O'Brien, of Ballynalacken Castle.
County Glare, was member of Parlia-
ment for Limerick from 1841 to
1852. The future Lord Chief JUS
tice was called to the Bar in 1865,
and joined the Munster circuit. In
the younger days of his practice he
was remarkable for the energy with
which he directed his appeal to a
jury. Few possessed in the same
measure the faculty of correctly az
praising human nature, and of using
it to the best advantage. AS junior
counsel he enjoyed from the first a
fairly regular and remunerative prac-
tice. He was acting as counsel for
the then Acknowledgement when he
took sick in 1880, and resigned that
post, which is considered one of the
"plums" of the junior bar.
Crown Prosecutor.
Three years later he was appointed
senior crown prosecutor for Dublin,
and year later was appointed third
In the same year
he was made bencher of the kings
inns. In 1885 he was appointed sec
ond sergeant-at-law. In that year he
made his first excursion into politics
and endeavored to get himself adopt
ed as the Liberal candidate for his
native county, but did not succeed.
After the following general election,
however, his politics underwent
change and he espoused the cause of
the Tories, and the preferment which
he enjoyed under the Forster Coer-
cion regime was continued under the
Tory administration.
Rapid Promotion.
In 1887 he was appointed solicitor
general and year later was appoint
ed encouragement in succession to
the late Mr.. John Gibson, member of
parliament for one of the Liverpool
who was promoted to the
bench. Having held the post of at
torney-general for two years he was
raised to the lord chief justiceship,
Lord Morris. In 1891
he was created knight, and in 1900
was raised to the Peerage, taking the
title of Baron O'Brien of Kilfenora.
Lord O'Brien leaves two daughters,
but there being no heir to the title
it becomes extinct. He was a men,
Der of the judicial tribunal of the
houso Of lords
Some Incidents.
Many interesting incidents are re-
lated Of his career at the bar. One
that has been frequently recalled re-
fers to an incident when he was still
junior counsel on the Munster cir
cult. In case heard at the Cork AS
sizes in August, 1877, during the ar
guments as to what constituted con-
spiracy, Lord O'Brien, then Mr..
O'Brien, who was counsel for the de-
PENDANT, after the jury had come back
to the court to ask question. pro-
ceeded to argue as to what consti-
tuted a conspiracy. He was pulled
up by the judge, and requested to de-
sist. Mr.. O'Brien insisted on giving
his construction of the law, and
Judge Keogh, who presided, request