COMEDIAN AND impressionist Oliver Callan has told the High Court he had never heard of Waterford's Maryland House guesthouse when he wrote a sketch for RTÉ's Nob Nationnow at the centre of a libel action being taken by the guesthouse owner.
Mr Callan said he believed Maryland was a district of Waterford that was well known for prostitution but he had never heard it was a guesthouse or hotel in the city when he wrote the sketch.
Had he known of its existence, he would not have made such a reference, he said.
He apologised for any offence he may have caused and said he believed comedy should not set out to offend people or groups of people. If the guesthouse owner was insulted as a direct result of anything he had said on radio, he was “very sorry for that”, Mr Callan said.
He was giving evidence in an action against RTÉ by Vincent O'Toole (84), owner of the Maryland House, the Mall, Waterford city, who claims he was defamed in the Nob Nationsketch broadcast on 2FM's Gerry Ryan Showin August 2008.
Evidence in the action ended yesterday and the jury will hear closing speeches and Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne’s charge today before retiring to consider its verdict.
Mr O'Toole previously successfully sued the Sunday Worldover a similar claim and was awarded €50,000 in damages.
The Nob Nationsketch featured "Kevin My-arse" giving a "Linguaphone" guide to Waterford slang. It stated: "The Maryland is a byword in Waterford for prostitution although the original establishment from whence the terms is derived has ceased business."
It is alleged the words suggested that Mr O’Toole was a brothel-keeper, his home was the haunt of undesirables and he was or is involved in racketeering.
The court heard RTÉ was sorry for the broadcast but denies Mr O’Toole had been brought into public scandal, odium or contempt.