District Court judge Brian O’Shea resigns to return to Bar

Speaking to The Irish Times, Mr O’Shea confirmed he would return to practice in the higher courts from next week. He had originally intended to resign in October, but said “a couple of opportunities” had arisen that he could not pursue while still serving as a judge.

His resignation was formally acknowledged by the President of the District Court, Judge Paul Kelly, who described him as “a great colleague who will be a loss to the District Court and to the judiciary generally”, and extended his best wishes for Mr O’Shea’s future career.

Although not legally barred from appearing in the District Court, Mr O’Shea said he would observe the Bar Council of Ireland’s code of conduct, which prohibits former judges from practising in that jurisdiction. He will instead appear before the Circuit and High Courts in the southeast.

In line with judicial protocol, Mr O’Shea communicated his resignation to Judge Kelly and to President Michael D Higgins.

Judicial resignations remain uncommon. Prior to Mr O’Shea’s departure, there were 65 serving District Court judges, seven short of the statutory complement of 72. The Government had already signalled its intention to appoint six new judges in the coming weeks, with a seventh appointment due in September to replace a retiring judge.

Originally from Kilkenny, Mr O’Shea served as a member of An Garda Síochána from 1997 to 2003. He subsequently worked as a lecturer at Carlow Institute of Technology and St Patrick’s College in Carlow before being called to the Bar in 2005. He practised in criminal, family, and civil law until his appointment to the District Court in 2017.