A group of factory workers, whose Christmas party turned into what a judge described as a fiasco, were awarded just under £4,000 damages and costs yesterday against the specialist company they hired to organise their party
Afterwards their counsel, Mr Conor Bowman, said it equated to £120 each - "more than enough for a really good magnum of champagne".
The 32 employees of Smurfit Cartons Ltd, Coolock, Dublin, claimed guests, who were to have been met by fire-eating limbo dancers in the RDS in Ballsbridge in 1998, saw their Christmas party deteriorate into a "disastrous non-event".
Yesterday Judge Kevin Haugh agreed in Dublin Circuit Civil Court and awarded the group £3,840.
"Special events were promised and did not materialise," he said. "Their party was turned into a farce and a fiasco." Some of the would-be revellers claimed they left the celebrations early when they found that a full carnival floor show, including fire-eating dragons, was off the agenda.
The group sued Event World Ltd, Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin, for damages for breach of contract and negligence.
Judge Seβn O'Donovan had already entered judgment in default of defence in favour of the workers against Event World and had allowed solicitors for the defence to come off record. He adjourned the case until yesterday to allow damages to be assessed.
Mr Bowman told Judge Haugh that express terms of contract with Event World provided for the group being met by limbo dancing fire-eaters followed by fire-eating dragons in the party hall where they should have been entertained to a full carnival floor show.
A giant screen was to have displayed footage of the annual carnival in Rio de Janeiro as the group dined but that also had not occurred. The group had also been dissatisfied with the lack of a tab system of payment, insufficient staff, drink and glasses and the use of plastic cups for drinks.
The 32 plaintiffs are: Kenneth Patchell, Ailish Patchell, John Gilbert, Anne Kane, Greg Farrell, Mona Farrell, Michael Farrell, Anne Farrell, Alan Barry, Karen Kelly, David Banks, Elaine Mac Mahon, Pearse Mc Cormack, Joan Mc Cormack, Brendan Dunphy, Angela Dunphy, Paddy Smith, Marte Smith, David Martin, Siobhan Brady, David Redmond, Karen Byrne, Declan Dermody, Maria Dermody, John McCormack, Louise Mc Cormack, John Mills, Sonya Cummins, Liam Myers, Irene Myers, Francis Mc Donnell and Conchi McDonnell.
The plaintiffs have Dublin addresses in Baldoyle, Santry, Cabra, Marino, Swords and Kinsealy, and Kilcock, Co Kildare and Drogheda, Co Louth.