Statement from Abhann Productions Limited and Riverdance Limited

August 15, 2013

 

Abhann Productions Limited and Riverdance Limited have been granted injunctions in the Irish High Court against Mr. Micheal Carr (of Pipers Cross, Ballyconry, Lisselton, County Kerry) and the company of which he is a director and shareholder, Ceol Chiarrai (Ireland) Teoranta. The injunctions prohibit Mr. Carr and Ceol Chiarrai from infringing Riverdance’s Trade Marks, from passing themselves off as having anything to do with Riverdance, including by use of the names “Riverdance” or “Riverdance Tribute” and from infringing the copyright of Abhann Productions.

This means that Mr. Carr and his company cannot use the “Riverdance” or “Riverdance Tribute” names in any way. Mr Carr has also been forced by these proceedings to reveal the identity of the promoter of the fake “Riverdance” shows in Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine and has written to that promoter acknowledging that he and his company cannot be involved in any show using Riverdance’s intellectual property.

While Riverdance is pleased to have the protection of the injunctions, it is disappointed that Mr. Carr has taken no steps to compensate the Riverdance fans in Russia and elsewhere who have bought tickets for his shows under the false impression that they were going to enjoy the real Riverdance experience. Riverdance looks forward to a speedy trial in this matter where it expects that final injunctions will be granted against Mr Carr ensuring that this does not happen again.

Riverdance will pursue the promoter of the fake Riverdance shows in Russia and bring this deception to a halt in time for the real Riverdance performances in that country in June 2014.