Flatley’s legal battle finally over after ‘deeply unsettling’ few months

The legal battle to control Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance tour is finally over – after he orchestrated a coup against the company that was suing him.

The 67-year-old dancer announced last night that, following the appointment of new directors to Switzer Consulting, the firm had withdrawn the legal action taken by its previous directors.

It is understood that Flatley now intends to pursue the previous directors for legal costs incurred by his own lawyers, and by Switzer, which is now wholly in his ownership.

The bitter fight has been raging since January, when Switzer first moved to bar Flatley from being involved in the tour, accusing him of trying to ‘hijack’ it, in order to strip it of cash to fund his debts and personal lifestyle.

Flatley had countered that he owns Switzer, and the rights to Lord Of The Dance, and claimed Switzer had failed to provide the services it was contracted to do.

Extremely personal insults were exchanged by both sides, with Flatley accused of living the lifestyle of Monaco millionaire, ‘without the funding to do so’, while his private detective, a former Garda fraud squad veteran, said he had been met with ‘abuse, false allegations and outright dishonesty from the directors of Switzer’.

Speaking as the withdrawal of the case was confirmed, Flatley reflected: ‘The past number of months have been deeply unsettling and wholly unnecessary. Myself and my wife Niamh are greatly appreciative of the warm wishes and support we both have received.’

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Michael Flatley. (RollingNews.ie)

He said he and the new board would now ‘push on with the 30th anniversary tour of Lord Of The Dance, and will immediately reach out to all our dancers and crew and venues with this very good news.’

A statement issued on behalf of Flatley confirmed: ‘Switzer Consulting Limited has withdrawn the proceedings taken by the previous board against Mr Flatley and those proceedings are now at an end. Switzer Consulting Limited is now unequivocally in the ownership of Mr Flatley as he has always said was the case.’

The announcement followed yesterday’s decision in Belfast by Judge Ian Huddleston to approve the transfer of all the shares in Switzer Consulting, previously held by Alexandra Walshe, to a new trustee, Paul McCann.

Flatley had sought to remove the daughter of his former financial advisor, Des Walshe, accusing Mr Walshe of ‘wholesale mismanagement’ of his affairs.

Ms Walshe had been appointed a director and trustee of Switzer Consulting in January 2024.

Earlier this week, as a performance in Croatia was being staged, Flatley announced he now has the rights to control the music used in Lord Of The Dance, thanks to a buyout from a company owned by construction magnate Maurice Regan and developer Luke Comer.

On Friday, March 20, at Belfast High Court, Judge Huddleston was told by David Dunlop, for Flatley, that an application had been lodged to remove Alexandra Walshe from her role as trustee of Switzer, and replace her with a neutral party.

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Michael Flatley performing in Lord of the Dance in July 1996. (RollingNews.ie)

Mr Dunlop said Ms Walshe had ‘significant control’ of the company with 75% to 100% of its shares, adding that she was ‘not a proper person’ to act as trustee, and that she had no professional experience. ‘I believe she was chosen as she is the daughter of Des Walshe, a shadow director of Switzer,’ he said.

In a sworn statement seen by the judge yesterday, Ms Walshe responded: ‘I act as a trustee by reason of the fact that I am a banker experienced in the areas of securities and I hold an Honours Law Degree from Dublin City University. I have acted in a similar capacity historically.

‘I say that the entire board of the company and, I understand, the plaintiff are aware of my qualifications.’

Ms Walshe said she did not believe it was necessary to replace her, but added that she was happy to stand aside if the court deemed it appropriate.

Following a brief hearing yesterday, the judge ordered that a new trustee would be appointed – Paul J McCann, a partner in the Belfast firm Maneely McCann Ireland.

The court heard that Mr McCann sits on a number of different boards, and is the chairman of an employee trust with a net worth of eight figures.

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.