A DISPUTE over the ownership of a greyhound which won last year's English Derby was settled after legal proceedings began in the High Court yesterday.
Mr Frank McGirr, a draper and property owner of Shanless, Coalisland, Co Tyrone, it has been agreed, is sole owner of Shanless Slippy, which is at stud in Co Cork following a High Court order last summer.
Ms Dolores Ruth, a greyhound trainer, of Punchers Grange, Rathangan, Co Kildare, had claimed she and a partner, Mr Paul Byrne, had a 50 per cent share in the dog.
After the case before the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Costello, was adjourned to next Tuesday, lawyers for the parties in the dispute issued a statement that both sides had "amicably resolved their differences on terms satisfactory to both parties".
The statement said that Mr McGirr would, by consent, be declared the full owner of Shanless Slippy and another dog, Shanless Suzy. Each side "wished the other well in the future".
The statement concluded that the legal proceedings would be struck out on Tuesday.
Among the witnesses who gave evidence yesterday were Mr Pascal Taggart, chairman of Bord an gCon, and Mr Jerry Desmond, chief executive officer and secretary of the Irish Coursing Club.
An earlier court hearing had been told that Shanless Slippy had won all five of the English Derby heats, and on June 28th last year won the final and £50,000. It was claimed that over the next 10 years, £1,000 a week could be realised in stud fees.
During yesterday's hearing, Mr Richard O'Regan, from Cork, into whose custody the dog was given by the court last summer, said the dog had turned out well since becoming a stud dog.
Mr Desmond said that besides being the Irish Coursing Club's CEO, he was keeper of the Irish greyhound stud book. He said Mr McGirr was the registered owner and there had been no application to change the registration. He thought it most likely that someone with an ownership interest in a greyhound would register ownership.