The former chief executive of a provincial newspaper has claimed before the High Court he was only given six hours to remove his property from his newspaper offices after his employment was terminated last year.
Brian Nerney is claiming he suffered reputational damage after Thomas Crosbie Holdings (TCH) informed him by letter that he was being made redundant from his €80,000 job and he was not to re-enter the offices of the Roscommon Herald – where he had worked for 28 years – after that day. He is claiming €500,000 in damages.
It was the first day of the action by Mr Nerney (49) of Carrick Road, Boyle, Co Roscommon against media group TCH over the termination of his employment last year.
“The Roscommon Herald was my life. Even after I sold the company to TCH, I ran it as if it was my own business.
I got up the next morning with no job to go to. I was shocked,” he told Ms Justice Mary Laffoy.
“I have gone in to the offices seven days a week for the last 28 years. How was I going to tell my family and the people I had worked with all my life?”