‘A great character’: Court hears tributes to late solicitor Moya Jane O’Doherty

Tributes were paid to former solicitor Moya Jane O’Doherty, who died in the days before Christmas, at Buncrana District Court.

Ms O’Doherty, late of Pillar Park in Buncrana, was a noted legal practitioner and golfer.

She was laid to rest in Cockhill on December 22.

Fellow Buncrana solicitor Ciaran Mac Lochlainn led the tributes at the first sitting of Buncrana District Court in 2024 on Thursday morning.

“She was a great character,” Mr Mac Lochlainn said. “I actually went to see her the week before she died in the Buncrana Community Hospital and she was in great form. Little did I think that she would be dead a week later.”

Mr Mac Lochlainn told how Ms Doherty was a third generation solicitor whose grandfather, Hugh Camillus O’Doherty, was the first Roman Catholic Mayor of Derry in 1920. He was a supporter of Charles Stewart Parnell and a founding member of the Irish National League.

After Parnell’s death in 1891, O’Doherty left politics but he was elected as a Nationalist Party councillor in 1918. When he was elected as the Mayor of Derry, he also took a position as a Senator.

He ordered that the Union Jack should not be flown from the Guildhall and strongly campaigned for Derry to be included in the Irish Free State.

His son and Moya’s father, Ronald Hugh Camillus O’Doherty, was also a solicitor, practising in both Buncrana and Derry. He was the coroner in Derry for long periods of the Troubles.

“It was an extremely difficult and dangerous position to be in,” Mr Mac Lochlainn said. “He was very stoic in his job and he carried on in the job. He had a practice on Castle Street in Derry and it was severely damaged on three or four occasions.”

Ronald Hugh Camillus O’Doherty passed away in January 2014 and Mr Mac Lochlainn told how he was buried ten years to the day as he spoke in Buncrana courthouse.

Despite her ill health, Moya Jane O’Doherty continued to be heavily involved in Buncrana Golf Club and had two terms as the Lady Captain, in 2011 and 2019.

“The biggest disappointment for her was when she got to the stage where she was not able to play golf,” Mr Mac Lochlainn said. “She still took part in the running of the club and she was a great character.”

On behalf of An Garda Siochana, Inspector Paul Gallagher conveyed condolences to Ms O’Doherty’s family and friends. “She was a well regarded practitioner,” Inspector Gallagher said.

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham added: “I want to extend my condolences to the friends and family of the late Ms O’Doherty. I didn’t have the opportunity of knowing her, but from what I am advised it seems as if she was formidable and a great character who was well respected in the community.”