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Work Experience - My Visit To The Bar Council

2nd February: 4th February:
For a week in February 100 Transition year students Our programme instructors allowed us to attend different
nationwide, were randomly selected to attend the Bar court cases on our own. My favourite one was where there
Council in Church Street, Dublin 7. was this man who assaulted a taxi driver while intoxicated.
Our first day was spectacular as we were split up into four 5th February:
main groups. Our guide’s name was Ciaran and he was a We took a trip to the King’s Inn, where the barristers
junior barrister. We were taken to the Four Courts where study. It is a very old building, dating back to 1541. The
we attended several cases in the High Court and the name is adapted from Henry VIII. In 1800, James Gandon,
Criminal Court. the architect who designed the Four courts building was
After lunch we went to Smithfield, where the Criminal commissioned by King’s Inn to design the present building
Court of Justice takes place. It is a fascinating building, as it on Constitution Hill.
is very modern and contemporary. We attended a speech 6th February:
in one of the court rooms by Judge Mary Ellen Ring, who We attended the Ian Bailey trial, where they cross-examined
told us the necessary information on how to get a law the Garda Superintendent who led the investigation into
degree and become a barrister. We then heard a real life Sophie Tuscan DuPlantier’s murder. It was very interesting.
criminal court case in which two We came back to the building,
men stole a van in Dublin. The case where we had lunch. We gathered
was adjourned.
in the main room for speeches
3rd February: from junior barristers about their
We attended several court cases experiences at the Bar. Chief
in the Four Courts. After lunch, we Justice Susan Denham arrived to
went to the CCJ (Criminal Court present us our certificates.
of Justice). We had a talk from a I would like to thank Mr Galligan
Guard about what goes on in The for organising this event and
Criminal Court. I learned a lot. supplying me with the information
After the talk, we did a role play of needed for my trip. It has been a
a criminal court case. I played the blast! If I ever had the opportunity
defendant. It went really badly, again, I’d go back!!
and I was found guilty. I didn’t
really enjoy this day. by Thomas Prior

62 The Royal Times 2014-2015