Money from the sale of O'Connell's pub, the centre of legal wrangles for almost a decade, has finally been allocated to build a St Vincent de Paul resource centre.

Publican Maureen O'Connell, who was unmarried, left her landmark pub in Eyre Square to the Society of St Vincent de Paul when she died almost ten years ago. The story of her family's struggle to change her will was recently featured in an RTE documentary.

O'Connell's pub did not go on the market for almost eight years because of legal wrangles but when it was finally sold in late 2006, it fetched a price of €14 million.

It is estimated that the cost of a settlement with a tenant in the pub, massive legal fees going back eight years and smaller contributions to other charities, organisations and individuals, have consumed over €6 million of the sale.

The four-storey building, which has 15 bedrooms, was regarded as one of the most prestigious properties to come on the market in the city in recent years. The site enjoys almost 20 metres of frontage on to Eyre Square and is over 60 metres in dept.

Four local developers - Michael Burke, Peter Gilhooly, Walter King and Tom Considine - purchased the pub last year. They own other property in the area but the pub has continued to operate and enjoys a booming trade.

It is estimated that so far St Vincent de Paul has received around €7 million, €1.2 million of which is to be used to build a resource centre at Mill Street.

The development will take place in a three-storey, 19th-century listed building that the SVP organisation has owned since the early 1960s.

The resource centre will cater for up to 35 elderly people daily and provide leisure, educational and health facilities. The development is underway and should be finished by mid-November.

Jim Harrington, President of the Galway Area Council of Society of St Vincent de Paul, said dozens of elderly people would now benefit from the generosity of Ms O'Connell as the first resource centre was developed.

"The Mill Street building will also continue to be restored and improved to provide other important services.

"These will include educational programmes covering adult literacy, parenting, computer skills, music, art, cookery and home management," he added.

Comments (0) »

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Title

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment