O’Callaghan paid for SF protest, tribunal hears
Former lobbyist Frank Dunlop — described by tribunal lawyer Patricia Dillon SC as Mr O’Callaghan’s “lieutenant in Dublin” — recalled how the busload of protesters, led by SF activist John McCann, descended on the O’Connell Street offices in December 1991.
Mr Dunlop said he paid for the event and subsequently billed, and was reimbursed by, Mr O’Callaghan.
The Cork-based businessman also picked up the tab for a Macintosh computer, sourced by Mr Dunlop, for a SF-linked centre in south Dublin.
The tribunal heard that Mr McCann had helped gather 10,000 signatures of residents in north Clondalkin supporting Quarryvale and later ran in the local elections.
Last June, the former Luton-based businessman, Tom Gilmartin — Mr O’Callaghan’s bitter rival and one-time partner in the Quarryvale development — described how Mr O’Callaghan took him by taxi to a Clondalkin pub in the autumn of 1990.
Instead of meeting residents, as Mr O’Callaghan had indicated as the purpose of the trip, no residents were present. But three men in black and wearing dark glasses came in and one of them allegedly issued a warning, that Mr Gilmartin took to be a death threat, unless he left the country.
From an internet photograph Mr Gilmartin identified to the tribunal a man he says was among the SF group. He said he had been told that man was SF councillor Christy Burke.
Counsel for Mr Burke has told the tribunal that Mr Burke denied the allegation and suggested Mr McCann as a possible SF representative that Mr Gilmartin had met. After it was suggested to Mr Gilmartin he was mistaken, Mr Gilmartin said in that case the other person was “a dead ringer” for Mr Burke.
Mr Dunlop told the tribunal yesterday how former FF TD Liam Lawlor — who was hired by Mr O’Callaghan to advance Quarryvale — had all the trappings of someone with a lot of money in the early 1990s. The colourful politician, who died in a car crash in Moscow two years ago, lived in a period house and drove large cars and gave the impression he was well endowed financially, he said.
“In reality,” said Mr Dunlop, “that was not the case at all — he was in serious debt.”
He recalled going to AIB Bankcentre with Mr Lawlor and offering to use his own shares in the Citywest development as collateral for a loan for Mr Lawlor. But the matter did not proceed.
Resuming his cross-examination, Mr Gilmartin rejected the suggestion of Bertie Ahern’s lawyer Colm O hOisin SC that his “story” had changed and evolved as he went along.
Mr Gilmartin alleges being told by Mr O’Callaghan he gave £50,000 to the Taoiseach in the late 1980s and early 1990s in return for political favours.
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