Michael Flatley in dispute over €1.4m legal costs after Cork mansion court battle

High Court reporters

Riverdance star Michael Flatley is embroiled in another legal row, this time over a €1.4 million disputed costs bill associated with the recent battle to keep a receiver from the door of his Cork mansion.

Mr Flatley claimed he was shocked at what he called “the blatant level” of alleged "overcharging”.

In an affidavit to the Commercial Court where he is disputing six-figure sums in legal and receiver fees, Mr Flatley alleged he may be seen "as an easy mark for inflated costs."

In dispute are a receiver costs bill of €86,000 plus legal costs of €186,000, along with €793,000 in legal fees from the opposing side in the legal battle for the Castlehyde mansion.

In the affidavit to the court, Mr Flatley claimed there was also a charge for 13 hours put in by the t receivers for attendance at the High Court at a combined rate of €1,000 an hour.

At one stage Mr Flatley also said: "I have no objection to paying fees in general but in circumstances where the fees are exorbitant and mainly unvouched and unjustified and lacking transparency the vouching of the documents sought is in the interests of justice."

The court on Wednesday was considering an application by the Flatley side in which it was seeking certain documents from the Novellus side, including the receiver's report, a contemporaneous record of tasks carried out by the receivers and a full breakdown of invoices and timesheets from third-party providers to the receivers. The Flatley side want the documentation as part of their bid to have the court decide in relation to the €1.4 million in disputed costs.

Mr Flatley's counsel, Ronnie Hudson BL instructed by solicitor Maxwell Mooney, said Mr Flatley had no objection to paying costs, "but he needs transparency."

"The only motivation of Michael Flatley is to get the money back," Mr Hudson said.

Counsel for Novellus and the receivers, Kelley Smith SC, said previously all allegations made by the Flatley side were withdrawn and her side were concerned about the motivation behind the latest application.

Ms Smith said it was misconceived and was "more of the same grandstanding."

Last March, Mr Flatley paid off a €6.9 million loan on his Castelhyde mansion to save it from the receiver.

The original legal battle related to a loan made to Mr Flatley's Blackbird Film Productions Ltd by Novellus Finance Ltdin 2023 with repayments of €67,000 per month over two years.

Novellus claimed there had been default on repayment, which Mr Flatley denied. Mr Flatley provided a guarantee for the loan on the strength of the value of his Castlehyde mansion. As a result of the alleged default, Novellus appointed a receiver over the property.

An interim injunction was granted to the Flatley side to prevent the receiver from taking further measures in relation to Castlehyde and a judge conducted a two-day hearing on the matter.

The Flatley side asked the court to hold off on giving judgement on whether to set aside the interim injunction stopping the receiver taking steps or grant an interlocutory injunction to the Flatley side and said Mr Flatley was flying into Dublin to pay off the loan.

The €6.9 million loan was finally paid off but the issue of certain disputed costs remained.

Mr Justice Mark Sanfey had reserved his judgement to a later date.