'Tribune' business editor loses post after article

The business editor of the Sunday Tribune, Richard Delevan, has been let go and a columnist Bill Tyson has resigned in solidarity with him.

Mr Delevan confirmed yesterday he was no longer working at the newspaper but declined to comment further.

He lost his job on Monday, a day after an unsigned article appeared in the business section about the home of estate agent Ken MacDonald in Blackrock.

The article, which was based on contributions to an anonymous blog, said Mr MacDonald's home has remained on sale for over a year at an asking price of €2.4 million.

Mr MacDonald refused to confirm or deny reports that his firm, Hooke and MacDonald, had written to the newspaper following publication of the article. However, he said he was shocked by the highly personalised article which was "riddled with untruths".

"This was a massive invasion of my privacy and my family's. I don't think anyone would like to see their photo and that of their house in a newspaper in this way."

Mr Tyson said he resigned as a columnist on Tuesday to show his concern over recent developments.

Attempts to contact the group managing director of the Sunday Tribune, Michael Roche, were unsuccessful. The newspaper's editor Noirín Hegarty said the situation was more complex than it seemed: "It's ongoing and I'm precluded from further comment."

Mr Delevan had been told he was being moved to edit the newspaper's website last month.

However, management regarded the article on Mr MacDonald as inappropriate in tone and decided to terminate his employment.

On his blog, Mr Delevan describes himself as "a journalist, blogger, broadcaster, speaker, writer and native New Yorker living near Dublin, Ireland".

He was appointed business editor in 2006.