Riverdance Ltd to ask High Court to stop ‘illicit, unauthorised’ shows

Riverdance Ltd will tomorrow ask the High Court to restrain Co Kerry music promoter Michael Carr from staging "illicit unauthorised" Riverdance shows in anumber of main cities throughout Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott yesterday declined to grant Moya Doherty and John McColgan's Riverdance Ltd and Abhann Productions Ltd an interim injunction restraining Carr and his company Ceol Chiarrai Teoranta from taking any further steps to advertise and sell tickets to promote his shows.

He granted the two Riverdance companies short service to ask the court tomorrow, after having heard both parties, whether it was appropriate to grant interlocutory injunctions.

Barrister Brian Kennelly told the court that both Riverdance companies were asking the court as a matter of urgency for interim injunctions restraining Mr Carr, of Balconrey, Co Kerry, and his company, of Ballybunion, from using the Riverdance name and infringing copyright material.

'Riverdance Tribute' shows
He said Mr Carr's agents in all of the named countries were already selling tickets for and advertising 'Riverdance Tribute' shows while using copyright pictures and images copied directly, "not to say stolen", from the official Riverdance website.

Mr Kennelly said the Riverdance companies had been alerted to the proposed tribute shows when a Russian fan base had contacted the Riverdance company in Dublin stating how much they were looking forward to the Riverdance shows in October.

Mr Kennelly said the planned unofficial tribute promotions were illicit and unauthorised shows simply using the Riverdance name.

Mr Carr and his company had not been licensed by Riverdance and were the owners of a riverdancetribute.com website.

Incalculable
Mr Kennelly said the damage to the official Riverdance would be incalculable while, in the event of losing its case in the High Court, Riverdance was so robust as to be able to meet an undertaking as to damages to Mr Carr and his company. Riverdance had invested many millions of euro in the promotion, marketing and production of its brand, he said.

The judge returned the matter until tomorrow.