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Updated at 2.50pm
SOLICITOR BRIAN O’Donnell has placed the keys to the Gorse Hill mansion in Killiney on the desk of Bank of Ireland CEO Richie Boucher at the bank’s AGM in Dublin.
He has said he will now take his case to Europe.
Earlier, O’Donnell and his wife Mary Patricia were photographed leaving the south Dublin house, after a last-ditch attempt to remain there was rejected by the country’s highest court yesterday.
In two separate journeys, they were driven from the grounds past a bank of reporters camped outside.
A large removal truck also left the mansion first thing this morning.
The handover
Jerry Beades of campaign group the New Land League – who has become a de-facto spokesperson for the O’Donnells – said earlier he expected bank management to face questions on the case at today’s AGM.
The latest installment in the ‘Battle for Gorse Hill’ then played out at two separate locations – as O’Donnell headed to UCD to confront Boucher, and Beades remained in Killiney, where the receivers eventually arrived this afternoon.
There was a heavy media presence at UCD as O’Donnell showed up at the AGM.
“It is a departure… It’s something we are very disappointed about,” O’Donnell said of yesterday’s court ruling.
“We felt that we had very good grounds for appeal and we are now going to go to the ECHR [European Court of Human Rights].”
Accompanied by his son Blake, he then took up front-row seats in the hall. As Boucher arrived to begin the meeting, a keyring labelled ‘The Bloody Keys’ was lobbed onto his desk by the solicitor.
Not uttering a word in response, the bank boss continued to unpack notes from his bag.
Addressing the AGM later, Blake O’Donnell said he had heard “an awful lot of waffle” about the bank dealing with customers “and listening to proposals and working with them – I’ve never seen or heard of any of this in my own experience.”
Notice
Meanwhile, Beades placed a notice to Bank of Ireland’s solicitors on the gates of Gorse Hill asserting the property remained the property of Vico Ltd.
“The keys and electronic fobs are the property of the company. Should you obtain the keys and electronic fobs of Gorse Hill you are to return them to the company’s office”, the notice, signed by Blake, said.
Should your Clients access the property they will be trespassers.
In a further twist, Beades told reporters the locks of the house had been changed by his group.
All that did little to delay the actions of the receivers, however.
Accompanied by gardaí, they arrived at the Vico Road property after midday - and after speaking briefly with Beades, gained access to the grounds.
Members of the New Land League later left the scene – while, back at UCD, O’Donnell told the media his family would be staying with friends and relatives temporarily.
The long battle…
Bank of Ireland has been seeking the repossession of the house on Vico Road due to a debt alleged to be over €70 million – and it’s been the subject of a long-running legal battle.
The Supreme Court yesterday rejected leave for O’Donnell to appeal a trespass order against him. Two weeks ago, the Court of Appeal also rejected an application made by the father-of-four.
The High Court originally granted the trespass order in favour of Bank of Ireland almost six weeks ago – but a series of appeals meant the O’Donnells were allowed to stay in the property.
They had been given until 12pm today to leave the south Dublin mansion, as the Supreme Court decided whether or not it would hear an appeal.
The court said yesterday that there was “no basis” to hear the O’Donnells appeal and determined “no legal basis has been established for a reference to the Court of Justice of the European Union”.
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Democracy is more important than ever as we see where the USA is headed. Wherever we were, they could be relied on to at least keep a free and open society as an ideal, in principle. That’s finished. The autocrats are on the march. The old world order is ending and the forces of anti-democracy, tyranny and hate are on the march. We are entering very very dark times.
@SerotoninWars: We’re never heading into good times, it’s literally never been said. Probs doesn’t generate enough ‘revenue’ across society.
@SerotoninWars: those which got into power both in the USA and in most areas in eu brought most of these issues now faced on us themselves. They’re stupidity and lack of forward long term planning and thinking has helped these so called far right actually gain momentum by allowing the likes of housing crisis to balloon altogether singlehandedly they have frustrated people to turn theyre thinking. In order to prevent far right gaining anymore ground,if thats what they’re actually trying to prevent, they need to concentrate solely on eu member states and how to serve those effectively not everyone outside of it. Halt immigration and only allow necessary people in for now such as health services etc. Get things in order get supply to one day meet demand then see about those outside eu.
@Thesaltyurchin: There are levels to it. The USA is highly imperfect and often hypocritical but it has, for a long time, been a bulwark for international democracy and rule of law. If there’s no pressure from the USA, this will do nothing but encourage the despots. If, as looks probable, Trump gets in, he will interpret the ruling today as a carte blanche to do whatever he likes. He’s too stupid and selfish to understand nuance. And with that Supreme Court behind him he’ll go much further with his stooges in ripping up the rule book. This is far more serious than the usual takes of political woe: it’s a disaster. Unless you wish to see the hardest right of governments, lots of unchecked power and dynasties emerging in former democracies.
@Paddy C: I agree that no matter what your politics, there’s going to have to be some new consensus with some painful decisions to avoid a slide into far right governments everywhere. There’s a huge difference between the protest vote scenario where people want a couple of specific things changed and a wholesale sweep to the far right who have a whole lot of other policies in mind too for when they get into power. So yes, I agree a new dynamic is required. Banging our heads off a brick wall will solve nothing.
@SerotoninWars: this is what people need to understand we have to find a happy medium somewhere otherwise it’ll go to far and the wrong people altogether will get in then we’re into a whole new set of problems we need to now take maybe what some would consider difficult decisions to avoid it.
@Paddy C: I agree. For people like me who lean left we have to remember that there’s a world of difference between centrist conservative governments you might not be fully happy with and actual far right parties. Parties that attract full blown fascists. There are many decent and kind conservatives. There’s no one like that in the far right. Worrying times as we need to generate pushback against the Putin’s of this world, not more allies for him.
Fair play to Cllr John Lyons Dublin City Council for calling out the extortionate prices for the ” affordable” homes in
the Coolock development. Free land given to the developer who screws the council with their money grabbing tactics.All done with the support of ffg and labour.
A certain individual a number of years ago remarked that irelands councillors and politicians ‘ make the mafia look like choirboys”.Democracy me a..e
@D. Peadar: when the general election comes anybody who isn’t usually pushed needs to get out and vote for the sake of it. Even if you don’t want to bother getting involved voting normally just make the effort this time if you want you’re children and generations to come having somewhat of a normal future prospect. In others words hope of a decent job which will cover having a roof over they’re heads and at some point if they wish to, a family and be able to survive and have that chance. Otherwise this country is doomed with a falling birth rate because of what’s just mentioned pension and health systems will without a doubt not be sustainable despite what horseshit comes out of the likes of roderic o gorman and the rest of those fairy’s in there.
Sums it up very well. This is being reflected in the decisions being made executive level and which elected councillors have no real say.
Excellent article
Our local councillors are really just administrators
Dublin ( city centre) is in serious decline because nobody is accountable or responsible
If we want to get people believing in democracy we need to make it much more powerful at a local level as that’s what affects people in their daily levels. We also need a much more interactive system than merely casting a vote every 4 or 5 years
Good article Pat! (Think Copenhagen built like 3 light rail systems during Coivd, certainly that needs a fact check tho lol!).
Well said Pat
The people have spoken and said they are very content with FFG, who regained control at local govt with the support of INDependents, Greens and Labour. #HappyPeople #HappyGovt #NoIssues
@9QRixo8H: Remember the 2019 local election went for FF/FG ? Then remember how the 2020 general election for FF/FG. It’ll tell you the local election means absolutely nothing. The next general election is all that matters.
@Ger Whelan:
A fair point Ger but in 2020 SF caught the mood of discontent and profited big time, and continued upward in the years since until recently, immigration and the recent referendums (especially the promise to run it again!) caught them badly.
It’s easier when you have momentum, extremely hard to turn it around when it’s going the other way
The whole western world is shifting right (except the UK!) Ireland is no different.
A backlash against the cost of green policies is another core factor in that rightward shift.
@Ger Whelan: There are only 3 parties running enough candidates to lead a govt, and the FFG duo maintained their support, so what do you think will happen?
@P. J.: It’s D.peader who needs this explanation not me
@9QRixo8H: They were well supported in the local elections in 2019 weren’t they? In fact overall the win more seats in 2019 than this year’s local elections. As for what happened? I don’t know. But I’m not here bragging how great things looked for any party am I?. Local elections mean absolutely nothing
@9QRixo8H: when the general election comes anybody who isn’t usually pushed needs to get out and vote for the sake of it. Even if you don’t want to bother getting involved voting normally just make the effort this time if you want you’re children and generations to come having somewhat of a normal future project. In others words hope of a decent job which will cover having a roof over they’re heads and at some point if they wish to, a family and be able to survive and have that chance. Otherwise ghis country is doomed with a falling birth rate because of what’s just mentioned pension and health systems will without a doubt not be sustainable despite what horseshit comes out of the likes of roderic o gorman and the rest of those fairy’s in there.
@Paddy C: vote for who? Majority want FFG. Birth rates are falling? If only we had immigration so men wouldn’t want to force women to give birth.
@9QRixo8H: they don’t need to force them just realise that when they’re born they might end up in a tent,b&b or hostel growing up for most of they’re lives. That’s no future at all and that is reality despite the horse crap that shower of utterly useless baffons in the dail are putting out.
@Paddy C: how can a young couple plan on having they’re own family and a home when neither can even afford to rent a room in a flat. They can’t so they’ve given up on that dream and are travelling abroad or trying to have that dream abroad,shame they can’t have it here when they,they’re families and friends all contributed into the tax system most of they’re lives.
@9QRixo8H: So you would prefer to have more Muslims here, who force women to do whatever they say? You simpleminded fkng dope.
SF were supposed to be the next big thing. Nobody knew for sure if they were far-left or far-right.
When the chips are down, people prefer the devil they know.
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