Lord of the Dance star Michael Flatley is being portrayed in proceedings before the Commercial Court as “a villain” rather than “a victim of circumstances”, his counsel has told a judge.
It was the second day of two applications before the court where a building contractor and insurance companies involved in carrying out works at Flatley’s Castlehyde mansion in Co Cork are seeking to have the star put up €2.8 million security for costs before his action against them begins.
Mr Flatley’s counsel Ronnie Hudson BL, instructed by Maxwell Mooney solicitor, on Wednesday referred to what he called the characterisation of the entertainer by the other side in court.
“He is being portrayed as a villain rather than a victim, a victim of circumstances,” Mr Hudson said.
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The statement was made as the Flatley side sought to introduce a chartered accountant’s valuation of the Flatley whiskey business which the court had previously heard was worth in the region of €10 million.
Andrew Fitzpatrick SC for the underwriting and insurance defendants objected to the new information being put before the court and he said it was “a naked attempt to upend this application”.
And he said there was no evidence why the valuation was not available when documents were being exchanged in advance of the security for costs hearing.
Counsel for building contractor Austin Newport, Stephen Dowling SC, said allowing the new document in at this stage could open up a collateral hearing on the basis of the €10 million valuation.
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Ms Justice Eileen Roberts said it was not obvious to her why the information was not put before the court when there were ongoing directions in place in relation to the exchange of documents.
The judge said she did not want to completely derail the security for costs hearing and she refused to admit the document.
Mr Hudson told the court that in the security for costs application, Michael Flatley was being faced with a bill for almost €3 million “for defending himself”.
He said Mr Flatley has never defaulted and is a “man of means and a man of his word”. He said Mr Flatley “in theory can return” to Castlehyde but he “can’t in practice because of the condition of the property”.
“Michael Flatley is a man of his word and has a considerable reputation in Ireland and the US,” Mr Hudson said.
In an affidavit opened to the court at the start of the hearing on Tuesday, Mr Flatley said the Lord of the Dance show is continuing to sell out venues worldwide and has sold more than €1 billion-worth of tickets.
Lord of the Dance, which he said had received “a lifetime of standing ovations”, has been valued “at a conservative minimum of €200 million”.
[ Michael Flatley: The deal that let the dancer keep his Castlehyde mansionOpens in new window ]
Mr Flatley said his Statement of Affairs – which valued Lord of the Dance at €200 million, his whiskey business at €10 million and his Castlehyde mansion at €20 million – is accurate. He said he owns all of the rights and intellectual property for Lord of the Dance and that the true valuation could be double the €200 million figure.
He said his liability is a €7.9 million mortgage on Castlehyde which will be repaid from his business activities over the next two years.
In the affidavit which was sworn last month, Mr Flatley also said he “intends to return to live in Ireland permanently as soon as possible”.
In the main proceedings, the Riverdance performer claims he and his family had to vacate the Castlehyde period property in October 2023 after alleged toxic chemical residue was detected during routine maintenance.
Mr Flatley is suing Austin Newport Group Ltd, the main contractor and insurance underwriters – MS Amlin Underwriting Ltd, AXA XL Underwriting Agencies LTD and Hamilton Managing Agency Limited along with Lloyds Insurance Company.
All of the allegations are denied.
Ms Justice Eileen Roberts will give her decision on security for costs at a later date.
