Clare’s newly appointed district court judge, Judge Adrian Harris “is not on Instagram or TikTok” but has promised that everyone will get a fair hearing before his courts in Clare and south Galway.
Native of Oughterard, Co Galway, Judge Harris replaces Judge Alec Gabbett as the assigned judge for District 12 which covers Co Clare and south Galway.
Before the sitting of Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Harris received an official welcome from court stakeholders.
Speaking on behalf of Clare solicitors, solicitor John Casey said that Clare practitioners “were absolutely delighted” when word came through on Judge Harris’s appointment.
Judge Harris has presided over courts in Clare during his time as an un-assigned judge since his appointment by Government to the bench in 2023.
Mr Casey described Judge Harris as “fair, measured and patient”.
He said: “You will be keeping us in check and we will be keeping you in check.”
Mr Casey said that he tried to find out some background of Judge Harris “but you are not on Instagram or TikTok”.
Mr Casey said that Judge Harris is the latest in a number of Galway legal practitioners to work as a judge in Clare and follows the likes of Judge Albert O’Dea, Judge Mary Larkin and more recently Judge Valerie Corcoran.
Judge Adrian Harris worked as a solicitor in Galway city for 26 years before his appointment as a judge.
Courthouse Manager, Annette Conway welcomed Judge Harris on behalf of the Courts Service and said that court service staff “are eager to support you in every way we can”.
Ms Conway said that she hopes that Judge Harris will have a positive and impactful time during his time as presiding district court judge for Clare.
State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey and Sgt Frank O’Grady also formally welcomed Judge Harris to his new post.
Judge Harris said that after being appointed as an unassigned judge in 2023 he was happy to make his home in District 12.
Judge Harris said that he has fond memories of Summers in Kilkee commenting that Judge Gabbett had a lovely picture of Kilkee in the judge’s chambers “and that has travelled with him and I hope to replace it with some nice picture of Clare”.
Judge Harris said that it is his “honour and privilege to serve people of District 12 for Clare and south Galway”.
