SIMPLY RED musicians Mick Hucknall and Christopher De Margary ongoing dispute with a neighbour over fishing and shooting rights on adjoining estates in County Donegal will be heard in court today.
Lead singer Hucknall and sax player De Margary are due in Letterkenny Circuit Court in the dispute with their neighbour John Wilde.
They claim he has interfered with their rights and those of their guests on the Glenmore Estate at Welchtown, Ballybofey.
Mr Wilde retains links to a neighbouring estate across the river Finn at Cloghan Lodge, where he still lives, although he sold it some years ago.
Hucknall and De Margary, who are keen anglers, are claiming that since they purchased the fishing, shooting and “hereditaments” rights for €1.3 million at Glenmore on August 5th, 2005, Mr Wilde had interfered with their “quiet enjoyment” of those rights.
They said Mr Wilde had also laid claim to the ownership of the rights on Glenmore.
Mr Wilde however claims the previous owner of Glenmore, John Mackie, transferred the fishing and shooting rights to his father.
The musicians were refused an injunction preventing alleged continued encroachment at the same court four years ago.
All eyes will be on Letterkenny court house today as two legal heavyweights begin setting out the case for their clients.
Damian Crawford will represent Mr Wilde, while Peter Nolan will represent the world famous musicians.
The chart-topping stars acquired some rights to the River Finn outside Ballybofey in 2006 after they bought the Glenmore Rivers estate.
Both are keen anglers and saxophonist De Margey even set up home on the estate.
Hucknall, 56, often stays on the 24,000 acre Co Donegal estate where he is popular with locals.