Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act, 1871

Master may open and deliver out will.

53. The master may, on being satisfied of a lunatic’s death without order, open and read any paper writing purporting or alleged to be his will, for the purpose of ascertaining who is therein nominated executor thereof, and also whether or not there is any and what direction therein contained concerning his funeral or place of interment, and then deliver the same to the registrar or other proper officer of Her Majesty’s Court of Probate in Ireland, to the intent that it may be dealt with according to law, and shall certify the death, and the opening and delivering out of the paper writing accordingly.