During the bubble, few new homes were well conceived or built, writes Rose Martin of one of the exceptions

It has been reported that more than 2,000 people turned out for a protest in Co. Donegal today against cuts in the education sector, including changes to the pupil-teacher ratio.

Hundreds of parents, teachers and community groups have turned out for a protest in Donegal this afternoon in opposition to cutbacks to education.

FACING the lichen covered walls of St Peter’s Church at Carrigrohane, the Hayfield estate is maturing nicely, nearly 10 years on from being built.

IS No 25 Hayfield the pick of the crop? There probably isn’t a bad house in this 2004 up-market Cork suburban development, but in the sliding scale of best sites and sizes, it certainly comes out near the top.

A SPECIAL plaque has been unveiled to commemorate the 150-year historical connection between the Crosbie family – owners of the Irish Examiner – and Cork city centre.

OWEN O’CALLAGHAN did not pay £30,000 to Bertie Ahern in connection with planning, an associate of the Cork developer told the Mahon tribunal.

CONVENIENCE to the city centre and to key roads and infrastructure is set to underpin sales at the Manor Farm house scheme in Cork’s Lehenaghbeg, just off the South Ring Road.

BUSINESSMAN Tom Gilmartin claimed he didn’t have the air fare when he said he would not be present for a scheduled board meeting concerning the west Dublin development at Quarryvale, the Mahon Tribunal heard yesterday.

AIB Bank took a hard line against businessman Tom Gilmartin after it lost confidence in his ability to bring the Quarryvale project in west Dublin to fruition, the Mahon Tribunal heard yesterday.

FORMER property developer Tom Gilmartin told the Mahon Planning Tribunal yesterday how lawyers had difficulty “getting their heads round” his allegations of corruption in the planning process.

DEVELOPER Owen O’Callaghan faces a large legal bill following his failure to halt the Mahon tribunal’s inquiries into allegations against him.

FORMER government press secretary Frank Dunlop “nearly fell off his chair” after hearing developer Tom Gilmartin threaten to call in the Garda Fraud Squad over his Quarryvale project, the Mahon Planning Tribunal heard yesterday.

THE Mahon Tribunal has agreed not to proceed, pending the hearing of a legal appeal next month, with further inquiries into allegations made against Cork property developer Owen O’Callaghan by developer Tom Gilmartin.

CORK property developer Owen O’Callaghan’s appeal against the High Court’s rejection of his bid to prevent the Mahon tribunal’s further inquiring into or making any findings on allegations made against him by developer Tom Gilmartin will be heard within weeks the Supreme Court indicated yesterday.

PROPERTY developer Owen O’Callaghan is facing a legal bill of more than €2 million arising from his unsuccessful challenge to the Mahon Tribunal’s further inquiring into or making any findings on allegations made against him by developer Tom Gilmartin.

John Deane

A COTTAGE, at Lehenaghmore, on the fringes of Cork city on a three-quarter acre site, might have been a country home up to recent years, but its proximity to the south ring road and Pouladuff has put it in a development spotlight.

THE GATES are closing up on Matthew Hill, above Cork city at Lehenaghmore the side of the airport hill.

FORMER Fianna Fáil councillor Finbarr Hanrahan demanded IR£100,000 to support plans for a shopping centre that needed land rezoned, the Mahon Tribunal heard yesterday.