Editing Four Courts

{{short description|Major court complex in Dublin, Ireland}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox Historic building
| name             = The Four Courts
| image            = Four Courts, DUBLIN - panoramio.jpg
| caption          = The Four Courts
| map_type         = Ireland Central Dublin
| coordinates      = {{coord|53.3459|-6.2735|type:landmark_region:IE-D|display=title,inline}}
| latitude         = 
| longitude        = 
| location_town    = Inns Quay, [[Dublin]]
| location_country = [[:Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| architect        = [[Thomas Cooley (architect)|Thomas Cooley]] (1776-84)<br />[[James Gandon]] (1785-1802)<br />[[Jacob Owen]] - Benchers' and Solicitors' building (1835-39)<ref>{{cite web |title=INNS QUAY, FOUR COURTS |url=https://www.dia.ie/works/view/36168/building/CO.+DUBLIN%2C+DUBLIN%2C+INNS+QUAY%2C+FOUR+COURTS |website=www.dia.ie |access-date=31 August 2023}}</ref>
| client           = [[Kingdom of Ireland]]
| engineer         = 
| construction_start_date = 1786
| building_type    = [[Courthouse]]
| material         = [[Portland stone]], [[granite]], [[copper]], [[cast iron]], [[timber]], [[steel]], [[stucco]], [[sandstone]]
| altitude         = {{Convert|4|m|abbr=on}}
| completion_date  = {{start date and age|1802}}
| date_demolished  = 
| cost             = 
| structural_system = 
| style            = [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]]
| size             = 
}}
The '''Four Courts''' ({{langx|ga|Na Ceithre Cúirteanna}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Uimhreacha Na Gaeilge |date=10 December 2006 |author=Michal Boleslav Mechura |language=Irish |access-date=19 May 2011 |page=12 |url=http://www.cainteoir.com/cainteoir_files/gramadach/Uimhreacha.pdf |quote=Original historic use of the plural form: use of the singular form is a relatively new habit. Even at the beginning of the twentieth century, speakers had the choice of using the plural form also, and many survivals of that usage are seen at the present time, particularly in proper names: na ''Ceithre Cuirteanna'', for example, is said, even though na ''Ceithre Chúirt'' would be more correct according to current language rules. |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110627091858/http://www.cainteoir.com/cainteoir_files/gramadach/Uimhreacha.pdf |archive-date=27 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>) is Ireland's most prominent courts building, located on [[Dublin quays|Inns Quay]] in [[Dublin]]. The Four Courts is the principal seat of the [[Supreme Court of Ireland|Supreme Court]], the [[Court of Appeal (Ireland)|Court of Appeal]], the [[High Court (Ireland)|High Court]] and the [[Circuit Court (Ireland)|Dublin Circuit Court]]. Until 2010 the building also housed the Central Criminal Court; this is now located in the [[Criminal Courts of Justice (Dublin)|Criminal Courts of Justice]] building.

==Court structure==
The building originally housed four superior courts, of [[Court of Chancery (Ireland)|Chancery]], [[Court of King's Bench (Ireland)|King's Bench]], [[Court of Exchequer (Ireland)|Exchequer]] and [[Court of Common Pleas (Ireland)|Common Pleas]], giving the building its name.<ref name=iclr>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishreports.ie/about/history-four-courts.htm|title=Four Courts|publisher=Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for Ireland|access-date=9 November 2019|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101145314/http://www.irishreports.ie/about/history-four-courts.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Under the [[Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Ireland) 1877]], these four courts were replaced by two - the [[Court of Appeal in Ireland|Court of Appeal]], presided over by the [[Lord Chancellor of Ireland|Lord Chancellor]], and the [[High Court of Justice in Ireland|High Court of Justice]], headed by the [[Lord Chief Justice of Ireland|Lord Chief Justice]] - but the building has retained its historic name.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1877/act/57/section/28/enacted/en/html|title=Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Ireland) 1877|publisher=Irish Statute Book|access-date=9 November 2019|archive-date=9 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109003410/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1877/act/57/section/28/enacted/en/html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Under the [[Courts of Justice Act 1924]], courts were established for the new [[Irish Free State]] with the [[Supreme Court of the Irish Free State|Supreme Court of Justice]], presided over by the [[Chief Justice of Ireland|Chief Justice]], replacing the Court of Appeal and a reconstituted [[High Court (Ireland)|High Court of Justice]], presided over by the President of the High Court, continuing the jurisdiction of the old High Court. The [[Constitution of Ireland]] in 1937 provided that courts would be established in a manner provided by the Constitution; this did not in fact occur until the implementation of the Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961. The [[Supreme Court of Ireland|Supreme Court]] and High Court (now dropping "of Justice" from their title) established under this act continued the jurisdiction of the courts established under the 1924 Act.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1924/en/act/pub/0010/print.html|title=The Courts of Justice Act 1924|publisher=Irish Statute Book|access-date=9 November 2019|archive-date=11 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811034254/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1924/en/act/pub/0010/print.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

A new [[Court of Appeal (Ireland)|Court of Appeal]] was established in 2014, following a [[Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|referendum in 2013]], largely taking over the [[appellate jurisdiction]] of the Supreme Court and the old [[Court of Criminal Appeal (Ireland)|Court of Criminal Appeal]]. Its civil division sits in the Four Courts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2014/en/act/pub/0018/index.html|title=Court of Appeal Act 2014|date=20 July 2014|work=[[Irish Statute Book]]|access-date=24 March 2015|archive-date=23 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723004532/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2014/en/act/pub/0018/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
Prior to the construction of the modern Four Courts, a previous complex existed close to [[Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin|Christ Church Cathedral]] on what is today St Michael's Hill which was in use from around 1608 to the opening of the present building around 1796. The [[Four Courts Marshalsea]] was also located close by at that time between [[Winetavern Street]] and [[Fishamble Street]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kenny |first1=Colum |title=The Four Courts in Dublin Before 1796 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44027768 |website=Irish Jurist (1966-) |access-date=31 August 2023 |pages=107–124 |date=1986}}</ref>

Even after reconstruction by [[William Robinson (architect)|William Robinson]] in 1695, there were constant complaints about the building's condition and location.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kenny |first1=Colum |title=The Four Courts in Dublin Before 1796 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44027768 |website=Irish Jurist (1966-) |access-date=31 August 2023 |pages=107–124 |date=1986}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Robinson, Sir William {{!}} Dictionary of Irish Biography |url=https://www.dib.ie/biography/robinson-sir-william-a7736 |website=www.dib.ie |access-date=31 August 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

===Gandon's building===
[[image:Four-courts-statue.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Part of the original Gandon-designed interior decoration of the dome, lost in the 1922 destruction]]

Work, based on the design of [[Thomas Cooley (architect)|Thomas Cooley]] for the [[National Archives of Ireland|Public Records Office of Ireland]], began in 1776. After Cooley died in 1784, renowned architect [[James Gandon]] was appointed to finish the buildings. It was built between 1786 and 1796, while the finishing touches to the arcades and wings were completed in 1802,<ref>[[Maurice Craig (historian)|Maurice Craig]]: Dublin 1660–1860, page 243</ref> The lands were previously used by the [[King's Inns]].<ref>Colum Kenny, ''King's Inns and the Kingdom of Ireland: The Irish 'inn of court' 1541–1800'' (Irish Academic Press & Irish Legal History Society, 1992), pp. 261–5</ref> and before that a 13th-century Dominican Friary [[St. Saviour's Priory, Dublin|St. Saviour's]] was located on the site, confiscated following the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII.<ref>{{cite web|title=St. Saviour's Dublin|url= https://dominicans.ie/about/communities/st-saviours-dublin/}}</ref>

===Easter Rising===
The Four Courts and surrounding areas were held by Commandant [[Edward Daly (Irish revolutionary)|Edward Daly]]'s 1st Battalion during the [[Easter Rising]] in 1916. Some of the most intense fighting of Easter Week took place in the Church Street, North King Street and North Brunswick Street area. At the end of the week, the Four Courts building itself became the headquarters of the 1st Battalion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://1916.rte.ie/event/four-courts/|title=Four Courts|publisher=RTE|access-date=8 November 2019|archive-date=9 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109004818/https://1916.rte.ie/event/four-courts/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Destruction in Civil War===
{{main|Four Courts explosion}}
[[File:Four Courts Conflagration.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Four Courts on fire during the [[Irish Civil War|Civil War]]]]

On 14 April 1922, the courts complex was occupied by [[Irish Republican Army (1922–69)|IRA]] forces opposed to the [[Anglo-Irish Treaty]], with [[Rory O'Connor (Irish republican)|Rory O'Connor]] acting as their spokesman. On 28 June the new [[National Army (Ireland)|National Army]] attacked the building to dislodge the "rebels", on the orders of the [[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]] [[Richard Mulcahy]], authorised by [[President of Dáil Éireann]] [[Arthur Griffith]].<ref name=Townshend>'The Republic – the Fight for Irish Independence 1918–1923' Charles Townshend {{ISBN|978-0-141-03004-3}}</ref> This attack provoked a [[Battle of Dublin (1922)|week of fighting in Dublin]]. In the process of the bombardment, the historic building was destroyed. The west wing of the building was obliterated in a huge explosion, destroying the Irish [[National Archives of Ireland|Public Record Office]] at the rear of the building. Nearly a thousand years of archives were destroyed by this explosion, the ensuing fire, and the water poured onto the fire.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/ruin-of-public-record-office-marked-loss-of-great-archive-1.1069843|title=Ruin of Public Record Office marked loss of great archive|date=30 June 2012|publisher=Irish Times|access-date=9 November 2019|archive-date=30 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130055140/https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/ruin-of-public-record-office-marked-loss-of-great-archive-1.1069843|url-status=live}}</ref>

The IRA was accused of mining the records office; however, those present, who included future [[Taoiseach]] [[Seán Lemass]], said that, while they had used the archive as a store of their ammunition, they had not deliberately mined it. They suggest that the explosion was caused by the accidental detonation of their ammunition store during the fighting.<ref name=Townshend />

===Reopening in 1932===
[[File:The Four Courts.JPG|thumb|right|150px|alt=The Four Courts, Dublin.|The Four Courts at Inns Quay]]
For a decade after the destruction of the Civil War, the courts sat in the old viceregal apartments in [[Dublin Castle]]. In 1932, a rebuilt and remodelled Four Courts was opened. However, much of the decorative interior of the original building had been lost and, in the absence of documentary archives (some of which had been in the Public Records Office and others of which were among the vast amount of legal records lost also), and also because the new state did not have the funds, the highly decorative interior was not replaced.<ref name=iclr/>

=== Further development ===
The [[Office of Public Works]] added a modern two-storey extension to the roof of the old Public Records Office in the late 1960s. They also built [[River House (Dublin)|River House]] on Chancery Street, which served as Dublin's only motor tax office for a number of years.<ref>{{Cite book|last=McDonald|first=Frank|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/60079186|title=The destruction of Dublin|date=1985|publisher=Gill and Macmillan|isbn=0-7171-1386-8|location=Dublin|pages=159|oclc=60079186|access-date=11 January 2021|archive-date=24 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924144503/https://www.worldcat.org/title/destruction-of-dublin/oclc/60079186|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Criminal courts===
Prior to 2010, both civil and criminal trials were heard in the Four Courts, which was also the location of the Court of Criminal Appeal. When the [[Criminal Courts of Justice (Dublin)|Criminal Courts of Justice]] building, near the [[Phoenix Park]], opened in January 2010, all criminal trials were transferred there.<ref name="independent-pantheon">{{Cite news |last=McDonald |first=Dearbhail |date=24 November 2009 |title=New order in court as €140m legal 'Pantheon' opens doors |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/new-order-in-court-as-8364140m-legal-pantheon-opens-doors-1951951.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513083006/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/new-order-in-court-as-8364140m-legal-pantheon-opens-doors-1951951.html |archive-date=13 May 2011 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref><ref name="it-new-criminal-courts">{{Cite news |last=Coulter |first=Carol |date=24 November 2009 |title=First case set for new criminal courts |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1124/1224259339011.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231005146/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1124/1224259339011.html |archive-date=31 December 2010 |work=[[The Irish Times]] |authorlink=Carol Coulter}}</ref> The Four Courts remain in use for civil matters.<ref name="independent-pantheon" />

==Plans for Supreme Court building==
There are plans to relocate the Supreme Court to a new purpose-built building near the Four Courts.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/supreme-court-to-get-its-own-building-for-the-first-time-1.3115868|title=Supreme Court to get its own building for the first time|date=2017-06-12|access-date=2017-07-01|first=Conor|last=Gallagher|publisher=[[The Irish Times]]|df=dmy-all|archive-date=15 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615062222/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/supreme-court-to-get-its-own-building-for-the-first-time-1.3115868|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Courts of the Republic of Ireland]]
*[[Law of the Republic of Ireland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061006121711/http://www.courts.ie/courts.ie/library3.nsf/PageCurrent/F8280C1F8A2E6F2980256F20004F7A58?opendocument Four Courts web tour]
* [http://www.courts.ie Courts Service of Ireland]
* [http://lawlibrary.ie/ The Bar Council]
* [http://www.nationalarchives.ie/ The National Archives of Ireland]

{{Irish governmental buildings}}
{{Irish courts pre-1922}}
{{Judiciary of the Republic of Ireland}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Dublin (city)]]
[[Category:Courthouses in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:National supreme court buildings]]
[[Category:Neoclassical architecture in Ireland]]
[[Category:Rebuilt buildings and structures]]
[[Category:Georgian architecture in Dublin (city)]]