Irvine in ‘€1.8m bar loss’

FORMER Formula One racing driver Eddie Irvine claims he has lost €1.8m over his investment in one of Dublin’s trendiest bars.

Details of a row involving the Northern Ireland sports star and his former best friend over the running of Cocoon - a popular watering hole on Dublin’s Royal Hibernian Way - emerged at a hearing of the Employment Appeals Tribunal yesterday.

John Foley, Mr Irvine’s former friend and business partner, is claiming he was wrongfully dismissed by the company that owns Cocoon. The tribunal heard yesterday that Mr Irvine became a 50% shareholder in Calview Investments in return for unsecured loans of over €1 million which he gave to Foley - the owner of the other half-share in the firm.