Lynn’s holiday home

Controversial Lynn holiday home at Kilsallagh

Lynn’s holiday home

Anton McNulty

CONTROVERSIAL Crossmolina-born solicitor, Michael Lynn, who is building a holiday home in the village of Kilsallagh, near Louisburgh, has been accused by neighbours of blocking a right of way and access to adjoining land.
Mr Lynn, whose practice was shut down by the law society after it was alleged that he took out multiple mortgages on several properties with several major Irish banks, is building a two-storey, 291.8 metre squared house along with a 60-metre squared garage. The 0.35 hectare site which was acquired by Mr Lynn in 2003 is located above the old Kilsallagh National School overlooking Clew Bay.
Mayo County Council granted planning permission for the development in March 2006 and, in July 2006, permission for a revised location of the garage was sought. This was objected to by a local resident, who claimed that a proposed entrance gateway to the site would be an illegal obstruction to the right of way. However, Mayo County County granted planning permission and An Bord Pleanála dismissed the appeal on the grounds that it was without substance or foundation.
On the plans submitted by Shay Scanlon Architects on behalf of Mr Lynn, a gateway will be located on the right of way at the entrance to Mr Lynn’s property, and it can be opened by people wishing to use the right of way. However, local residents who use the right of way to move cattle from one field to another, say that Mr Lynn is planning to lay a lawn on the location of the right of way.
A resident who has land adjoining Mr Lynn’s site told The Mayo News they fear that access to their land will be blocked.
“There is a right of way to our land going through Mr Lynn’s site which has been used for generations and the residents fear that it will be blocked. It is the only way to get access to the land and if this plan goes ahead, we will have to open a gate and drive the cattle through his lawn. I don’t think he will want people driving cattle or machinery over his lawn. My worry is that the right of way will be blocked off and in the future if any of our children want to build a house on that land they will be refused. We don’t mind him building the house but other people’s property must be considered and the culture of the area,” said the Kilsallagh resident.
Work on the building, which is valued at close to €1 million, began a year ago and is currently nearing completion. It contains three en-suite bathrooms, a master bedroom, a family room, living room, dining room along with a gallery and study.

Bank moves
Court orders sought
TWO financial institutions have asked the High Court to order Crossmolina-born solicitor Michael Lynn to pay them the millions of euro he owes them.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly, in the Commercial Court division of the High Court, was told that Mr Lynn owes First Active more than €5.1m and AIB just over €7.1m.
Senior Counsel for First Active, Eoin McCullough, told the court that the bank wrote to Mr Lynn last week asking him to repay the money he owes it.
The court heard that the money was loaned to him in 2004 and 2005 and the original loan was to allow him to purchase commercial and residential properties.
In the case of AIB, the court was told that Mr Lynn was given an overdraft facility of €400,000 for his office account in December 2004. He was given €5m in July 2005 to buy property and was loaned another €1.5m in February last year. Senior Counsel Denis McDonald said undertakings had been given by Mr Lynn that his firm would put security for the loans in place, but he said none of the undertakings had been honoured to date. Mr Lynn’s lawyers are taking instructions as to whether or not he intends to mount a defence to the proceedings.