Jeremiah and Bridget Donovan ordered to vacate Dublin mansion

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Jeremiah and Bridget Donovan were ordered by the High Court to give up vacant possession of the Grange or Grange House in Ballyboughal, Co Dublin, pending the final outcome of a legal dispute. The proceedings were reported on 27 July 2017.

Mr Justice Paul Gilligan said the property must be vacated by close of business on Friday. He also ruled that receiver George Maloney should work with an auctioneer appointed by the Donovans to sell the property.

Maloney secured possession of the then unoccupied property in June. He claimed that, some weeks later, the Donovans broke back in and refused to leave or give his staff access.

The application was opposed. In a sworn statement, Bridget Donovan said the property was her private residence and that she had spent time away visiting family. Her counsel said she rejected the receiver’s claim that she lived in the UK and argued that the receiver was not entitled to possession. The judge said the legal points raised could be considered at the full hearing.