FIVE security officers working in University College, Cork, including one with an MA, who were described in the students' magazine as having the mental capacity of retarded turnips, were awarded £4,000 each for libel at Cork Circuit Court yesterday.
The students' union president, Mr Michael Muldoon, who was being sued, said he had not read the article before it was published as they were under pressure.
The students' union administrator, Mr Donnachadh O hAodha, said he deeply regretted not reading the article before it got into print. They had published an apology the following week but did not discover who wrote the piece as it was just signed "Mad Dog".
Judge Patrick Moran described the article, in the Gazette in November 1992, as scurrilous and highly defamatory of the men who had worked in UCC for many years. The security men, who work in UCC's Boole library, were also referred to as Homo Sapiens Boolescurity Guardensis.
Those defamed were Mr Joseph Melsop, of Seaview Avenue, Carrigaline Mr Liam Walsh, of Ashburton Road, Gardiners Hill, Cork Mr Noel Barry, Grange Erin, Douglas, Cork Mr Jeremiah Sheehan, Church Avenue, Roman Street, Cork and Mr Patrick O'Brien, Silverheights Avenue, Mayfield, Cork.
Mr Barry, who received an MA last year, told the court he was the first non academic member of staff to be elected to the governing body of UCC. "I was asked by people how I managed to get a degree with such a low IQ after the article appeared. I did not know what they were talking about and when I saw the magazine I could not believe it," he said.
Mr Sheehan said he became the butt of people's jokes while on duty in the library. "It was humiliating and degrading," he said and added he had received a parcel containing animal bones with a note saying, "Eat these". They were addressed to the security guards and he believed they were chicken bones.