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King's Inns
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Honorable Society of King's Inns | |
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| Óstaí an Rí | |
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| Motto: | Nolumus Mutari (we shall not be changed) |
| Established | 1541 by Henry VIII |
| Under Treasurer: | Camilla McAleese |
| Location | Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
| Website: | http://www.kingsinns.ie |
The King's Inns (Irish: Óstaí an Rí) or formally the Honorable Society of King's Inns (HSKI) is the institution which controls the entry of barristers-at-law into the justice system of the Republic of Ireland. The correct title is always Honorable and not Honourable, which the English Inns of Court use.
The society was created in 1541, this being 51 years before Trinity College, Dublin was founded, making it one of Ireland's oldest professional and educational institutions. The name refers to King Henry VIII under whose reign it originated, and he granted lands at the Inns Quay where the Four Courts now stand. The society was reconstituted in 1607, having undergone inactivity for some time previous, in 1790 the Inns Quays site was acquired for the purposes of the Four Courts, the foundation stone at the present Henrietta Street was laid on 1 August 1795, James Gandon was commissioned as the architect. The building had not been completed when Gandon left Ireland in 1808 and the building was completed by his pupil, Henry Aaron Baker[1].
Candidates who have an approved law degree may apply for the Degree of Barrister-at-Law (Latin: ad Gradum Advocatum Apud Judices). Alternatively candidates without an approved law degree may undertake the society's Diploma in Legal Studies before presenting for the society's degree. Those who are presented with the degree are entitled to be called to and practise at the "Bar of Ireland". In 2006, the society had an enrolment of approximately 300 students, whilst there are approximately 1,400 practising barristers in Ireland.
The society has generally kept a low profile in current affairs in Ireland, though it did come to prominence in 1972 when financial difficulties led to the society selling a considerable stock of non-legal books it had in its library. The library dates from the end of the 18th century and was based on that of Mr. Justice Robinson. These were sold at auction at Sotheby's, London and a considerable stock of them were sold to clients outside Ireland. This was seen at the time as a major cultural outflow as many of the books were of historical and cultural significance. In addition, the society's library had received an annual grant since 1945 for the upkeep of the books from the Irish Exchequer. A King's Inns team or individual has often won the prestigious Irish Times National Debating Championship. In 2006 the Inns' hurling team competed in and won the Fergal Maher Cup (3rd Level Division 3) in their inaugural year.