The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by Lynch over his claim to land belonging to the estate of his late neighbour and friend Joe Elliot in Co Cavan.
In a judgment delivered on 16 January 2026, Ms Justice Hyland upheld a High Court ruling that Lynch's counterclaim was brought too late under section 9(2) of the Civil Liability Act 1961.
Lynch, an engineer and farmer at Lacken, Arva, farms beside land formerly owned by Elliot. He claimed that over many years he assisted Elliot with farming and other matters because Elliot had repeatedly represented that the land would ultimately be left to him.
Elliot died on 3 August 2020. Lynch was left €5,000 in the will and appointed a joint executor, but the disputed lands were left to three other people. He wrote to the estate's solicitor in December 2020 asserting that he had been promised the land and would make a substantial claim.
Lynch later pleaded proprietary estoppel, unjust enrichment, constructive or resulting trust and specific performance. On appeal, his argument focused on an alleged remedial constructive trust, contending that the property had effectively been held for him and therefore fell outside the statutory time limit for claims against an estate.
The Court of Appeal rejected that distinction. It held that the substance of the claim remained the same: Lynch sought property from the estate because of alleged promises and conduct by Elliot during his lifetime. Changing the legal description of the claim could not avoid the two-year limitation period.
The court also rejected arguments based on Lynch's mental health difficulties and alleged deceit by Elliot. Neither could extend the deadline beyond two years after death.
No proceedings were issued within that period. The appeal was dismissed, with the court's preliminary view being that the estate's executor was entitled to appeal costs.