Van Morrison: ‘I have never lived in Kilross House’

Van Morrison has strongly dissociated himself from a civil action being heard by the High Court in Dublin.

Mr Morrison's estranged wife Michelle Morrison (nee Rocca) is seeking to prevent her neighbours Conor and Eileen Kavanagh, from allegedly blocking the view of the sea from her home, Kilross House, on Sorrento Road in Dalkey, Co Dublin.

Many media reports and comments on last week’s court hearings have implied that Van Morrison is a party to the case or that he lived in Kilross House.

Various reports have referred to “Van and Michelle Morrison’s family home”, to “the Morrisons’ spat with their neighbours” and to suggestions that Van Morrison had already jointly paid legal fees of €875,000 in the dispute.

Photographs of the singer have featured prominently in many articles on the case.

In a statement issued exclusively to The Irish Times, however, Van Morrison has sought to distance himself entirely from the court action.

“I would like,” he said, “to put the record straight regarding comments in the media over the past few days which implied that I am living in Kilross House in Dalkey.

“I have never lived in Kilross House and have always been a resident of the UK.

"The court action these articles refer to was brought by Michelle Rocca and I have no part in it.

“As we have been legally separated since September 2013 I would appreciate if I was not included in any further references to this ongoing action.”

Kilross House

In her evidence to the High Court last Friday, Ms Morrison recalled viewing Kilross House with her husband in 1996 and suggested that at the time he thought about using the property as a recording studio.

These plans were not proceeded with.

The court earlier heard that Van Morrison transferred sole ownership of the property to Ms Morrison in 2009, the year the current legal proceedings were initiated.

The dispute centres on landscaping features at the rear of the Kavanaghs’ house and their effect on the view of Dalkey Sound from Kilcross House.

It is expected Ms Morrison will continue her evidence in the case tomorrow.