The Limerick Leader newspaper and Mr John Moloney, of Moyvane, Shelbourne Road, Limerick, were yesterday restrained by the High Court from publishing alleged defamatory material concerning Father William G. Fox, guardian of the Franciscan Fathers in Limerick, or concerning the Franciscan Order in Ireland.
Mr Roddy Horan, counsel for Father Fox and the order, told Ms Justice McGuinness that a dispute had arisen out of a court settlement concerning the contents of a will by the late Mr Gerard Moloney, of Kinvara, Limerick, in which he had left £500,000-worth of property to the order.
In an affidavit, Father Fox told the court he was of the opinion that Mr John Moloney, who had been left £10,000 in the will, was attempting to blackmail the order by threatening to go to the national press.
It had come to the attention of Father Fox that the Limerick Leader intended publishing an article on the dispute and he felt it would defame him and the Franciscan Order. The matter has been put in for hearing tomorrow.