Trad singer settles case over historian's book he claimed made him look 'alcoholic'

A well-known traditional singer who claimed that the cover of a book written by historian Diarmuid Ferriter had depicted him as an alcoholic has settled his claim for damages.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday a last-minute settlement was reached between lawyers for Tim Lyons and for Prof Ferriter, and publishers of the book, Irish Academic Press.

Mr Lyons was suing both Prof Ferriter and Irish Academic Press for defamation, and barristers from both sides were ready to proceed with the case. Copies of the book in dispute, A Nation of Extremes — The Pioneers in Twentieth Century Ireland, were to go on show in court and be given to Judge Gerald Keyes to examine.