Historic occasion as Longford native called to the 'Inner Bar'
Granard native Cathy Smith was among twenty-three barristers conferred with senior counsel status by the Chief Justice at the Supreme Court last Wednesday, October 6.
A past pupil of St Bernard's national school, Abbeylara and Cnoc Mhuire, Granard, she was one of five women last week called to the Inner Bar, known as 'taking silk', marking the transition from Junior to Senior Counsel.
2021 is the centenary year of the Call to the Bar of the first female barristers and Bar Council chairwoman Maura McNally said that for her five female colleagues taking silk, Wednesday's event was 'an additional historic occasion'.
The ceremony was one of the last official engagements of Chief Justice Frank Clarke, who retired on Friday, October 8.
It was also the first in-person events of the Bar since 2019, with the barristers appearing before the Chief Justice in groups ranging from two to four throughout the day to receive their patents.
Wishing Cathy and her family the very best for the future.