Maureen O’Hara’s former assistant wins suit against her nephew

Carolyn Murphy, the former personal assistant of Irish Hollywood legend Maureen O’Hara, has received an official apology and undisclosed damages from O’Hara’s nephew.

Murphy, who was a long-time friend and aide of O’Hara’s, won a defamation suit against Charlie Fitzsimons recently.

The allegations Fitzsimons made against her are yet undisclosed, but are believed to have related to O’Hara’s financial affairs.

"My client is very satisfied with this categorical and comprehensive retraction and apology of what were totally unfounded allegations relating to my client's work and support for the actress Maureen O'Hara and the Maureen O'Hara Foundation over a number of years," Paul Tweed, Murphy’s lawyer, told the BBC.

"However, Carolyn Murphy remains extremely upset that these allegations were made in the first place and contributed to the breakdown of her lengthy personal and professional relationship with Maureen O'Hara."

Murphy, who lives in Co. Cork in Ireland, first met “The Quiet Man” star in the 1970s. Around that time, O’Hara and her late husband, pilot Charles Blair, purchased an estate at Glengariff in Co. Cork.

From 2005 on, O’Hara moved there permanently. With Murphy working as her PA, there were detailed plans for establishing lasting markers of O’Hara’s career and legacy in Glengariff, including an acting school and a film museum, which was to house O’Hara’s memorabilia.

Murphy also had power of attorney until a dispute erupted in 2012, with Fitzsimons making allegations against her.

Murphy brought a defamation case against him regarding four emails he sent between August 2012 and July 2013.

In a statement read to the court by Fitzsimons’ junior counsel Rossa Fanning, he accepted responsibility and apologized.

"The defendant accepts that such allegations are totally without foundation," Rossa Fanning, junior counsel for Mr Fitzsimons, said.

"The defendant unreservedly withdraws any imputations to the contrary and apologises to Carolyn Murphy for the distress and anxiety that these false allegations have caused to her.

"The defendant also undertakes not to repeat these false allegations in the future."

O’Hara, 94, has since moved to the US, to live with her family in Idaho. Her Glengariff estate sold earlier this month for $1.97 million.

She was awarded her first-ever Oscar in an honorary ceremony in 2014.