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Niall Carson
vico road

New Land League member describes Killiney mansion as "bog standard"

The case will be heard in the High Court today.

Updated 10.51 pm

BRIAN O’DONNELL AND his son Blake have arrived at the Four Courts ahead of a hearing being brought against him by Bank of Ireland.

The solicitor and his wife Mary Patricia had been refusing to leave the family’s Gorse Hill mansion in Killiney since Tuesday.

The court is expected to hear and attempt by receivers to bring trespass proceedings against the solicitor who had barricaded himself in his former mansion.

The High Court earlier this week refused an attempt by the O’Donnell family to stop receivers repossessing their home.

O’Donnell is being supported by the New Land League group. A representative from the group last night called the lavish home at the centre of a High Court action “bog standard”.

Speaking on Tonight With Vincent Browne, Jerry Beades said that Gorse Hill, the Vico Road mansion which was once valued at €30 million, is “simplistic”.

O’Donnell and his wife had been given until 4pm yesterday to leave the family’s home in Killiney after a court order was nailed to the gates of the mansion on Tuesday.

The Land League, who are assisting the O’Donnell family, removed their barricade at the Vico Road mansion, which was once valued at €30 million, but it was reinstated after a “person unknown” tried to gain entry to the house.

TV3 Ireland / YouTube

Beades said that there were “people in rural Ireland” who live in more palatial homes than O’Donnell.

The 9,000 square foot Gorse Hill has six bedrooms, a sauna, gym and a swimming pool.

However, Beades said that he was talking about the home in relation to its exclusive surroundings.

Browne became more and more incredulous, with even the gravel at the home described as “fancy”.

“I’m talking in terms of lavishness and luxury, the house is a very very simplistic house,” replied Beades.

Browne would then tell Beades to “shut up” and asked him to leave the show.

- With reporting by Rónán Duffy

Read: An unlikely couple: The story of the Land League and the O’Donnells