Solicitor told to phone father about eviction

A solicitor was ordered by a judge to phone his father to tell him to leave his mansion on one of Ireland’s most exclusive addresses.

Brian O’Donnell has been holed up in the palatial spread in Gorse Hill, Vico Rd, Killiney, complete with tennis court overlooking Dublin bay, since Monday, when receivers were due to repossess the property.

In the High Court, Judge Brian McGovern heard the gargoyle-effect letter box at the €7m coastal pile was no longer in use while Bank of Ireland, which secured a €71m judgment for the lawyer’s debts, only had one email address for him.

Blake O’Donnell told the court it was “ridiculous” that he had to phone his parents who remain the house, to tell them to get out.

“We can do this the easy way or make it more difficult,” Judge McGovern told him.

A repossession notice will now be fixed to the gates of the luxury house, worth in the region of €34m in the boom years but now valued at about a fifth of that.

It is due to be handed over after a four-year battle with Bank of Ireland over property investment debts and an unsuccessful attempt by the O’Donnells to be declared bankrupt in the UK.

Judge McGovern said the last-ditch attempt to stop the repossession and eviction was a device to frustrate previous orders of the courts, including the Supreme Court.

The O’Donnells’ adult children — Alexandra, Blaise, Blake, and Bruce — launched the legal challenge claiming that their parents had a right to residency in the mansion.

The judge also heard that, up until a few weeks ago, the O’Donnells were asserting that they were permanently resident in London, not Gorse Hill.

Judge McGovern gave the bank and receiver permission to fix a repossession notice to the gate and notify the O’Donnells by the intercom system “if there’s one still working”.

The case is due back before the High Court tomorrow.

The O’Donnells are being supported by members of the New Land League, a campaign group set up to oppose repossessions.

Jerry Beades, a spokesman for the group who claimed outside the Four Courts to speak on behalf of the O’Donnells, said there remained “huge irregularities” around the proceedings and the O’Donnells were entitled to due process.

“They will be putting up a vigorous defence to these proceedings,” he said.