What is a Notary Public? – Perspective of a Limerick Notary

Limerick Notary

So what does a Notary do?  This article gives the perspective of a practicing Limerick Notary.

According to the “bible”, The Irish Notary, a Notary is a public officer of the civil order appointed by the competent authority of the State in which he practices to carry out the functions customarily associated with that office.  Although closely associated with the work of the legal profession, a notary’s is a separate profession of equal antiquity.

According to Halsbury, a Notary Public is a duly appointed officer whose public office, it is, among other matters to:

• Draw, attest or certify usually under his/her official seal, deeds and other documents, including conveyances of real and personal property and powers of attorney in relation to real and personal property.
• Note or certify transactions in relation to negotiable instruments.
• Prepare wills or testamentary dispositions.
• Draw up protests or other form of papers relating to occurrences on the voyage of ships and their navigation as well as the carriage of cargo in ships.

So all of that sounds very grand but what in fact does a Notary do?

Actual work as a Notary

The practical realities of life as a Limerick Notary involves witnessing signatures, swearing affidavits for use abroad and certifying documents to be true copies or to be signed in his presence.  As a Limerick Notary I usually do little more than verify the identity of the person appearing before me and swear the individual so that he or she swears on oath as to the truthfulness of what they are doing.  Simple.

The bulk of the work done as a Limerick Notary will be for persons wishing to have documents certified or witnessed for use in other countries.  Hopefully, that’s a little clearer?

Thomas Dowling is a qualified Limerick Notary practicing in Castletroy in Limerick.  He is also appointed as Notary for the Counties of Clare and Tipperary.

If not, or should you have any queries or require any services in relation to a Notary Public please do not hesitate to contact the writer Thomas Dowling (Limerick Notary) by email: [email protected] or call us on 061 501100.  If you’re not local, then you can find a notary near you through this website.