A Certain way with Words
An amusing anecdote by Brenda Power in today’s Sunday Times, too good not to share:
Last week Fianna Fáil TD Mattie McGrath was ordered out of Clonmel Circuit Court during his trial on charges of assault – the judge had spotted him chewing gum in court.
This is a breach of etiquette that has a long history of causing irritation on the bench.
There’s a famous story about the late, lamented Justice Robert O hUadhaigh spotting a young man loudly chomping on some gum in the public gallery of his district court one day. Eventually he summoned one of the court gardai, pointed out the young offender, and said: “Would you go and tell that man to stop masticating in my courtroom please?”
Whereupon the garda duly approached the lad and barked: “Take your hands out of your pockets.”
The classics never grow old.
Tags: Anecdote, Brenda Power, Court, Mattie McGrath
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