Castle owner wanted €5k for market, say traders

The owner of Blarney Castle wanted a €5,000 down payment, and a cut of traders’ profits, before he would sanction a St Patrick’s Day street market on the local village green, it was claimed last night.

The details emerged as two national bodies representing street and market traders rejected Charles Colthurst’s claims that traders lined up for Saturday’s event in the Co Cork village did not have proper insurance cover.

Mr Colthurst, whose family has owned the green since the 18th century, pulled the plug on the market on Tuesday on the advice of his insurance broker.