'Court registrar par excellence' gets glowing tributes from judges as he retires after 47 years

A court registrar par excellence was how Judge Philip O’Leary described Willie O’Connor on his retirement this week from the Courts Service after 47 years.

The ever-popular registrar thanked the many people he worked with through his career in the courts since October 1979 and reflected on the seismic changes in the courts from those early years when those before the courts included people charged with having no rear reflector on their bicycle.

Judge Philip O’Leary said it was an honour and privilege for him to work with Willie O’Connor whom he described as authoritative, accurate and wise. 

“He was one of the first people to knock on my door to offer any assistance on my appointment as a judge.

“The judge is the captain of the ship but the registrar is the pilot and as we all know the ship would hit the rocks very quickly if the pilot was not in control,” Judge O’Leary said.

Judge Miriam Walsh said that, like Willie O’Connor, she had a roving brief and was always glad when she arrived in a regional court to find that she would be working with him for the day.

Donal Daly, solicitor, on behalf of the Southern Law Association said the retiring registrar was always courteous and kind and he wished him a long and healthy retirement.

Inspector Ray Dunne, on behalf of An Garda Síochána, Colm Kelly on behalf of the Prison Service, and Elaine O’Connor of the Probation Service, all joined in thanking Mr O’Connor for the co-operation and courtesy he had shown to them through the years.

Mary Crowley of the Courts Service said Mr O’Connor had been a great support to many members of staff since he first began working as a registrar in Portlaoise and later in Youghal, Fermoy and Cork – work which he performed with professionalism, good humour and steadiness.