A libel case opens in Cork Circuit Court this morning against five newspapers, brought by an English journalist based in west Cork.
The case relates to the murder, on December 23rd, 1996, of Frenchwoman Ms Sophie Toscan du Plantier, and the journalist who wrote about it, but later became a suspect.
However, no-one was ever charged with her killing.
Mr Ian Bailey, of Prairie, Schull, in west Cork is suing the Irish Mirror, the Star, the Daily Telegraph, the Sunday Independent and the Independent on Sunday for bringing him "into public odium and contempt", claiming he suffered loss and damages due to articles about him published in these newspapers.
Ms Toscan du Plantier, the wife of a prominent French film producer, Mr Daniel Toscan du Plantier, had arrived in Ireland on December 20th, 1996, to spend Christmas in her holiday home near Schull.
She was seen around the area a number of times on December 22nd, but on the morning of the 23rd her battered body was found in a laneway near her home. She appeared to have been beaten to death with a blunt instrument.
An intensive Garda investigation ensued, and over 1,000 people living in the area were questioned. A man and a woman were arrested, but both were later released. A file was sent to the DPP, but no-one was ever charged with the murder.
In 1997 the parents and widower of Ms Toscan du Plantier filed criminal proceedings in Paris against the unknown murderer, in an attempt to step up collaboration between the Irish and French police. Her parents have been in regular contact with the Irish authorities and are known to be very unhappy that no-one has been charged.