Modern History of Durrus and District - Petty Sessions Court

Petty Sessions Court

The Court House is still in the village between O'Sullivans and the Sheep's Head public houses. These courts were set up in the early 19th century before that the magistrates administered justice according to their whim frequently on their own. Fr. Collins Administrator of Skibbereen giving evidence to select committees of House of Lords and Commons in 1824 referred to 'presents' being given to the Magistrates of corn, cattle money and having their turf cut. The Government pressurised the Magistrates to hold the Petty Sessions in public with three or four sitting in March 1822. This was formalised under the Petty Sessions Act of 1827. The petty session's nearest modern equivalent is the District Court except that the Petty Sessions operated with the involvement of local prominent people with no legal qualifications. Under the Peace Preservation Act 1814 the resident magistrates appointed were generally strangers and therefore immune to pressures applied to local magistrates.