McManus in talks to buy GAA pitch near mansion
But the multi-millionaire isn’t planning on holding hurling and football games on his front lawn. He needs more ground surrounding the new €100 million mansion for security reasons.
He has entered talks with the local Staker Wallace GAA Club whose grounds are only 200 yards from the mansion. He plans to purchase their two-and-half- acre field which also has a community centre.
But it won’t mean the end of hurling and football in the Martinstown area. Far from it, in fact.
JP has indicated that if he can agree a deal, he will put up a state of the art ground and community centre/club pavilion in an alternative site in the parish.
Jer McCarthy, treasurer of the Staker Wallace Club said: “Nothing has been agreed, but JP has always been a great supporter of the club. I’m sure we will have no difficulty dealing with him.
“An alternative facility would obviously be part of any agreement. It would suit us to move, as we don’t have enough space where we are.”
It is believed JP is also trying to purchase another 23 acre site adjacent to the GAA field.
Martinstown Stud stands on more than 630 acres and its spacious paddocks are home to his wonder horse Istabraq. It is believed that Mr McManus has been advised to purchase certain lands adjacent to his new home to improve security.
Work on his mansion is nearing completion and locals say he plans a huge grand mansion warming before Christmas.
Interior marble and granite will cost over €25m.
The mansion will have every luxury imaginable from a gym to an 18-metre pool with sauna, steam room and hot tubs.
To accommodate his vast collection of racing silver, a special trophy room is also included in the design.
Guests at Martinstown Stud will touch down on the heli-pad and then be ushered into a reception area which features a magnificent staircase, believed to be the biggest ever built in Europe.
When cars sweep into the vast garage area, they will be automatically washed. Staff quarters are also up to five-star standard.
JP and his wife, Noreen, engaged top Swiss architect, Andres Durr, to design the building.
