Justices of the peace, Ireland, History, Law, Administration 

Popular perceptions of the resident magistrates have been shaped by the portrayal of Major Yeates in the Somerville and Ross Irish RM stories but little is known of the Major's real-life counterparts. They make only fleeting appearances in the historiography, in which academic interest has focused chiefly on the part played by the resident magistracy at times of crisis. This has reinforced the contemporary nationalist view of the RMs as part of the 'foreign garrison', integral to a system of colonial oppression whereby alien rule was imposed upon the people. This new book on the resident magistrates challanges this view, examining the variety of response to British dominance and the extent of Irish participation in governing institutions.
The history of the resident magistracy is traced from its inception in the 1830s to its fate in both parts of the island after partition in the 1920s. Particular attention is given to the period 1890-1922 and, in conclusion, four biological studies add depth and give further insights into the experiences of the Irish RMs in general as narrated in earlier chapters.  

Content:
Part I: The resident Magistracy, 1836-89
1. Origins and Early years
2. A Decade of Drama
Part II: The Irish RMs, 1890-1922
3. Major Yeates and the Irish RMs
4. Public Duties: The World of Work
5. Private Lives: Home, Family and Community
6. Troubled Times: War and the Triumph of Nationalism
7. The RMs and the New Ireland
Part III: Biographical Studies
8. John Charles Milling, 1873-1919
9. James Woulfe Flanagan, 1864-1922
10. Edmund James Charles Dease, 1861-1945
11. William Joseph O'Reilly, 1864-1937 

Includes biographical references (pages 213-218) and index.
Item donated by Graham Price.
Categorized by publisher, then author, then date.