Trad singer sues historian over ‘alcoholic slur’

A traditional singer is suing historian Diarmuid Ferriter, claiming the cover of the academic’s book on the pioneers depicts the singer as an alcoholic.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Gerald Keyes dismissed an application by the UCD academic to strike out the proceedings being brought against him by singer Tim Lyons.

Mr Lyons, of Athenry, Co Galway, claims a photo of him with two pints of stout in front of him on the cover of Prof Ferriter’s A Nation of Extremes — The Pioneers in Twentieth Century Ireland, depicts him as an alcoholic.