Lloyd’s faces mural protestor

Frank Godfrey protested outside Lloyd’s yesterday over its refusal to pay out for an arson attack on his cottage bearing a mural of the Battle of the Boyne because had not told the insurer about the mural, the Telegraph reports.

The mural depicts the 1690 battle between Irish nationalists loyal to the recently-deposed Catholic King James II and Protestants loyal to King William III, known as William of Orange.

Godfrey had the mural painted on his thatched cottage in Donore, County Meath, 25 years ago. His home had served as an unofficial visitors' centre for people interested in the battle.

Fire claim

But in April 2008 the cottage was destroyed in an apparent arson attack, possibly by nationalists. It came two days after Bertie Ahern, then the Irish prime minister, and Rev Ian Paisley, then First Minister of Northern Ireland, had met nearby to launch an official tourism centre there.

When Godfrey made his €200,000 (£165,000) claim Lloyd's of London said they would not pay up because the owner had not told them about the mural.

Godfrey appealed to the Irish Republic's Financial Services Ombudsman, which last year upheld the insurance company's decision. He is now taking legal action.

The Ombudsman ruled that the presence of the mural "by virtue of the nature of the subject, would have been the source of some provocation, albeit limited, to a limited number of intolerant individuals."