The Fifth Court

On Episode 127 of The Fifth Court , hosts Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL are joined by Matthew Holmes BL , author of Habeas Corpus: Practice and Procedure . (This is his sixth book!). They delve into the historical roots, practical applications, and enduring importance of habeas corpus in modern Irish law. Everything you need to know in 30 minutes (but you'll still want to buy the book!)....

Episode 126, The Fifth Court featuring – Catastrophe: Nakba II with author Fintan Drury (Legal & Human Rights Special) Fintan Drury’s Catastrophe: Nakba II is a punch in the gut—not a balanced history lesson. On The Fifth Court , we dig into the polemical argument beneath the exhaustive research, and why it reads more like a rallying cry than a neutral narrative. As a lawyer, judge, or rights...

Episode 125 The Fifth Court John Brennan ran America’s most secretive operations as CIA director. Now he’s sharing what he learned about balancing intelligence, justice, and democracy. From briefing presidents to confronting terror, Brennan gives The Fifth Court a rare insider’s view—and explains why Ireland’s Centre for Justice and Law Reform Summer School 2025 could shape vital global conversati...

Conversation from the Bench, Retired Judge Alice Doyle at the Inaugural Kilkenny Law Festival Recorded live at the Kilkenny Law Festival, this special episode of The Fifth Court — recent Merit Award winner of the Law Society of Ireland's Awards — features a wide-ranging conversation with Retired Circuit Judge Alice Doyle. With over two decades on the bench, Judge Doyle shares rare insights into th...

The Murderer, the Memoirist & the Mystery That Lingers On episode 123 of The Fifth Court , we’re joined by Mark O’Connell , Irish Times contributor and author of the acclaimed A Thread of Violence , his gripping account of the life — and crimes — of Malcolm MacArthur . In conversation with barristers Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL , and recorded at the inaugural Kilkenny Law Festival 2...

E122 The Fifth Court Frank McNally, author of Irish Times 'An Irishman's Diary', on Bloomsday, June 16th 1904 - The many legal themes running through one of the great English language books. His cultural recommendation, 'The Third Policeman', by Flann O'Brien His movie choice is 'All the President's Men' The episode also includes recent important cases drawn from the Decisis casebook and discussed...

Episode 121 of The Fifth Court is the first of a mini-series of the podcast recorded at the Kilkenny Law Festival 2025, held from May 16–18 in Kilkenny City. It offered a dynamic weekend of discussions on contemporary and historical legal topics aimed at making legal discourse accessible and engaging, blending serious analysis with entertainment - a bit like our own podcast! The event featured a d...

Dr. Ciara Smyth, a distinguished lecturer at the School of Law at University of Galway She is the Programme Director for the LLM in International Migration and Refugee Law and Policy at the Irish Centre for Human Rights. Her expertise lies in the areas of asylum law, refugee protection, and human rights. She talks about her very early experiences in post Pol Pot Cambodia She later worked with the...

E119 The Fifth Court Recorded at the University of Galway recording studios. Hosts Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL talk to Diarmuid J. Connolly BL (kind of 'Father of the Mayo Bar' but he's keen to correct that misnomer) a practising barrister based in County Mayo. Former UCG student Peter along with Diarmuid, start with a bit of reminiscing - including a story about men in UCG monitoring t...

E118 The Fifth Court featuring retired judge Mary Fahy Judge Mary Fahy retired from the Irish District Court on January 31, 2025, concluding a distinguished 31-year judicial career. Appointed to the bench in the early 1990s, she served in various jurisdictions, including Dublin and Galway, and was known for her commitment to accessible justice and her forthright approach to the law. Law Career Hig...

E117 The Fifth Court throws the spotlight on one of the country's most colourful solicitors, Paul Keane, former Managing Partner at Reddy Charlton (where he started at 17 years of age), now a consultant to that firm, as well as having been the Chair of the North Fingal Beekeepers Association! He was originally inspired by Lord Wedderburn and his legal insights. - "Company law has given me some of...

E116 The Fifth Court - featuring the life and times of the "former" Master of the High Court, Edmond Honahan Is he, was he still Master? He explains how it's down to an EU interpretation. His cultural reference is the book 'Wolf Hall' (Hilary Mantel) because of a scene involving the malign influence of 'international bankers'. Hosts Mark Tottenham BL and Peter Leonard BL start with a brief mention...

Episode 115 – The Fifth Court He’s held one of the highest offices in the land, but what’s life really like after the robes are folded away? In this episode, Frank Clarke SC , former Chief Justice, returns to the studio for the second half of his conversation with Mark Tottenham BL and Peter Leonard BL . The discussion moves effortlessly from courtroom anecdotes to reflections on the evolving natu...

Episode 114 The Fifth Court Former Chief Justice Frank Clarke SC - Part I. In this episode, The Fifth Court welcomes none other than Frank Clarke SC, former Chief Justice and one of Ireland’s most respected legal minds. Frank joins Mark Tottenham BL and Peter Leonard BL for a relaxed and entertaining chat that ranges from the inner workings of the Supreme Court to how he’s spending his time back a...

A bonus episode, from The Fifth Court team. Episode No.12 The Fifth Court UNPRECEDENTED - recent interesting cases, taken from the Decisis.ie Law Reports casebook introduced by Mark Tottenham, BL, and Peter Leonard, BL. Brought to you thanks to Charlton's Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners, of George's Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

E113 The Fifth Court Dr Susan Leahy, University of Limerick, on consent. DSBA 'Podcast of the Year' Hosts Mark Tottenham BL and Peter Leonard BL talks to Susan Leahy, Associate Professor in Law whose primary research interests are in the areas of criminal justice (with particular emphasis on sexual violence and victims of crime) and family law (specifically domestic abuse and marriage). Her thesis...

A bonus episode, from The Fifth Court team. Episode No.11 The Fifth Court UNPRECEDENTED - recent interesting cases, taken from the Decisis.ie Law Reports casebook introduced by Mark Tottenham, BL, and Peter Leonard, BL. Brought to you thanks to Charlton's Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners, of George's Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

E112 The Fifth Court 'Live' from University of Limerick, hosts Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL, are joined by Prof. Jennifer Schweppe, Co-Director, European Centre for the Study of Hate - Everything you need to know about Hate Crime Jennifer's culture choice, Jane Casey's series of books featuring Maeve Kerrigan, a police officer, solving crimes. ALSO, Why the Moon Travels, by Oein DeB...

A bonus episode, from The Fifth Court team. Episode No.10 The Fifth Court UNPRECEDENTED - recent interesting cases, taken from the Decisis.ie Law Reports casebook introduced by Mark Tottenham, BL, and Peter Leonard, BL. Brought to you thanks to Charlton's Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners, of George's Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

Episode 111 The Fifth Court DSBA 'Podcast of the Year' Patrick Costello, barrister and former Green Party TD and party spokesperson on Justice He took the CETA (EU Canada trade agreement involving private courts) case to the Supreme Court If haven't delved into these private courts, this is a 'must listen'. His choice of movie: (the brilliant) My Cousin Vinnie - dir. Jonathan Lynn (Patrick wrote a...

A bonus episode, from The Fifth Court team. Episode No.9 The Fifth Court UNPRECEDENTED - recent interesting cases, including a legal challenge by a pilot against Ryanair, taken from the Decisis.ie Law Reports casebook introduced by Mark Tottenham, BL, and Peter Leonard, BL. Brought to you thanks to Charlton's Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners, of George's Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin...

E110 The Fifth Court DSBA Podcast of the Year Brendan Slattery, Head of Environment and Planning, McCann FitzGerald solrs. talks to our interlocutors, Peter Leonard, BL, and Mark Tottenham, BL, about the new Planning Act (all 900 pages of it). As Peter says, what Brendan doesn't know about planning law isn't worth knowing. And, as always, there's a back story. He was once a goat farmer. You'l...

A bonus episode, from The Fifth Court team. Episode No.8 The Fifth Court UNPRECEDENTED - recent interesting cases taken from the Decisis.ie Law Reports casebook introduced by Mark Tottenham, BL, and Peter Leonard, BL. Brought to you thanks to Charlton's Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners, of George's Street, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

E109 The Fifth Court A most amusing encounter. Hosts Peter Leonard and Mark Tottenham talk to retired judge Bernard Barton, a fabulous raconteur, about his life and times, including his career as a used car salesman! Bernard Barton is a retired Irish judge who served on the High Court from 2014 until his retirement in March 2021. During his tenure, he was known for his opposition to certain judici...

E108 The Fifth Court Dr Thom Mohr on Hugh Kennedy, first Attorney General of the Irish Free State and law reformer who had some radical ideas in his time. This is a most entertaining episode, including details of little known attempts by Hugh Kennedy to disrobe judges and re robe them in the Brehon Law style (or what was his interpretation of such) Thomas Mohr is a distinguished legal scholar and...