These wouldn't be the boarded up incomplete holiday homes at Moorhill House? It used to be a lovely 'classy' restaurant in the old house with great gardens around it. The gardens were all ripped up for holiday homes to be put in behind it. AFAIK, it was never completed, they weren't sold and the place is boarded up.

Fire Damages Landmark Moorhill House The fire was confined to a single downstairs room in the period house and was described as 'insignificant' by Offaly Fire Service spokesman, Clive Duke.

Ta fer that.

Moorhill house redevelopment "about €14 million." So what did he spend the other 59 million on? There's something stinking going on here.

It's all pretty well documented.

http://ofpm.ie/index.php?option=com_con ... 67&Itemid=

http://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/Destru ... 4505287.jp
The Cllr John Foley mentioned in this article was the Taoiseach's most recent running mate.

Former FF councillor sued for 'land scam'

A retired Garda Superintendent is among several investors suing former Fianna Fail councillor Gerard Killally, a firm of solicitors and others for more than €10 million arising from an alleged land deal “scam” in Co Offaly in which Mr Killally allegedly made secret profits.

It is alleged Mr Killally, unknown to the investors, had acquired the lands at Mount Lucas, Daingean, for some €4.7 million and aranged a scheme under which they were sold to the investors for €10.6 million in May 2007 at a time when they believed Mr Killally was a co-investor with them.

Former Supt Peter Wheeler said today he had trusted Mr Killaly completely when considering in late 2006 whether to invest in the purchase of lands at Mount Lucas as Mr Killally was chairman of Offaly County Council, had run in general elections and was of standing in the community.

Mr Killally assured him this was a “no-risk” investment but at no stage disclosed Mr Killally himself was the seller of the lands, having bought them from his father-in-law and others, he said.

Mr Killally instead represented he was a co-investor entering into a partnership with Mr Wheeler and others and had also so indicated at meetings with investors there would be no problem securing planning permission for the lands, he added.

There is more.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0118/breaking64.html

A thread here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14784&hilit=killally

The investors claim that John Burke and Company had or should have had concerns about the deal and failed to inform them.

The investors claim they were assured that portions of the land could be readily sold on and contracts for this were in place.

Those contracts were never completed and the investors claim they were bogus.

Mr Doyle, a partner in Doyle Hanlon Solicitors of Mountjoy Square, was alleged to have told another solicitor that he was told he would be paid €150,000 to get involved in 'dummy contracts'.

At the High Court today, he said that was 'absolutely incorrect'.

He said he had been asked a series of questions by a solicitor acting for Mr Burke and company and he felt the conversation had been 'distorted'.

Mr Doyle said he had entered into contracts to buy the land in question.

Later for his 'own reasons', he decided not to proceed and instead entered into another contract to sell the contract to Mr Killally.

Solicitors' legal team asks to step down

MARY CAROLAN

LAWYERS FOR two solicitors being sued over an alleged land deal “scam” in Co Offaly allegedly promoted by former Fianna Fáil councillor Gerard Killally have asked the High Court to allow them cease representing their clients due to “difficulties” about instructions.

Issues were also raised whether RSA insurance group, insurers of the defendant solicitors — John Bourke and Francis O’Doherty, practising as Bourke Co, Drimnagh Road, Walkinstown, Dublin — will continue to indemnify them in the case.

The developments, described as “significant and serious” by Mr Justice Michael Peart, came after evidence had concluded in the action over a deal involving lands at Mount Lucas, Daingean, Co Offaly, being sold for €10.6 million to a group of investors in May 2007 on the same day Mr Killally had bought them for €4.7 million.
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