Simeon Burke among almost 50 graduates called to the Bar in Supreme Court ceremony

Simeon Burke, a brother of jailed schoolteacher Enoch Burke, was among a cohort of newly qualified barristers called to the Bar on Wednesday, at a ceremony in the Supreme Court.

Mr Burke (24), of Cloonsunna, Castlebar, Co Mayo, having been awarded his barrister-at law degree at the King’s Inns, was among 47 graduates called to the Bar by the Chief Justice, Donal O’Donnell.

His parents Martina and Seán, and his sister Ammi, a qualified solicitor, accompanied him to the ceremony in a court packed with relatives of the graduates.

Other graduates included Sofiya Kalinova, a native of Bulgaria living in Rathgar, Dublin, who has hearing difficulties and is the first deaf barrister to be called to the Irish Bar. Today’s ceremony featured the use of Irish Sign Language (ISL).

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Others called to the Bar included Hugh Hogan, son of Supreme Court judge Mr Justice Gerard Hogan, and Oisin Vince-Coulter, son of former Irish Times journalist, Dr Carol Coulter.

In a short address, the Chief Justice, sitting with Ms Justice Marie Baker and Mr Justice Hogan, said the call to the Bar ceremony is “of great significance”.

The Bar is a profession involving duties and privileges, he said.

The privilege is a right of audience in the courts of Ireland and, in a more general way, of representing someone in court and being their voice, he said. The duty “is nothing less than the duty to promote and uphold the rule of law”.

It is of “the utmost importance that you adhere to the highest ethical standards”, he told the graduates. A barrister’s first obligation is to their client, “to be courageous in the way in which you advance that client’s case but also to do courteously within the bounds of the rules of ethics and your duty to the court.”

A point “loses nothing of its force, indeed gains something, by being put firmly, certainly, but also politely and respectfully”, he said. A “fundamental component” of the rule of law, he added, is to accept and abide by court decisions.

It might come as “a surprise”, on the day they were being admitted to the profession that prides itself on advocacy, they are not expected to speak, even when spoken to, he told the graduates.

“But the fact you will not speak today has a message,” he said. “If you think your future involves making high flown speeches and being the centre of attention, you are in the wrong place.”

“Don’t worry,” he added, “there are a number of good acting schools that will for a modest fee retrain you for a job that might suit you better.”

Being a barrister “is not about speaking at, or even to, someone else”, he said. “It is about persuasion and ultimately communication and at least half of communication is listening.”

The Chief Justice proceeded to call the names of the new barristers, beginning with Mr Burke, in a cohort of 25 called at the 10am ceremony. Another 22 were called at a ceremony held at noon.

Each barrister stood and bowed as their name was called. Each was also asked, as is traditional, whether they had anything “to move”. None, as is traditional, spoke in response.