Latest news with #CastletownHouse
Irish Times
20-06-2025
- Irish Times
Three arrested over criminal damage at Castletown House
Gardaí have arrested a man and two juveniles in Kildare in connection with criminal damage at Castletown House. The three males were arrested on Friday morning by gardaí attached to Kildare North. The arrests took place following a search operation at a number of residential properties in Kildare. The three arrests relate to a number of separate incidents of criminal damage at Castletown House between April 22nd to May 4th, 2025 . READ MORE Over the May bank holiday weekend, vandals entered a temporary Office of Public Works (OPW) depot at Donaghcumper House, overlooking the river Liffey in Celbridge, Co Kildare . They first cut the wires to the house's CCTV units, then overturned four vehicles and dumped a cherrypicker into the river. 'The estimated cost of the damage is believed to be in the region of €400,000," a Garda spokesperson said on Friday. Donaghcumper House was bought by Kildare County Council earlier this year with a view to creating a linear park along the Liffey, but it was bolted up and out of bounds to the public last week, with security at the gate. The OPW was using it as a temporary depot in advance of the proposed reopening later this month of Castletown House, which has been at the centre of a major dispute over right-of-way access. The three males, one adult male aged in his 30s and two juveniles, are currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at Garda stations in Kildare.
Irish Times
19-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Castletown House campaigners being sued by companies in row over gates and fencing ‘blocking' key access route
Companies being sued by a community group over new gates allegedly blocking public access to a period house and its estate are now suing the organisation. Last month Save Castletown Committee CLG brought a High Court action over gates and connected fencing erected by the owners of a 235-acre parcel of land within the historic demesne of Castletown House in Celbridge, Co Kildare. Campaigners say the gates and fencing are blocking public vehicular access to the house and grounds via a road known as Gay's Avenue. Celio Properties Ltd, Kilross Properties Ltd, Liffey Bridge Homes Ltd and Springwood Properties Ltd acquired the parcel of land in April 2023. READ MORE The rest of the estate – including the lands where the 18th century house is situated – is owned by the Office of Public Works. Late last month the companies brought separate High Court proceedings against Save Castletown Committee and two of its directors, Fintan Monaghan and Treasa Keegan. The companies have taken the proceedings against Mr Monaghan and Ms Keegan personally and in their capacities as representatives of the committee, court documents have stated. In its proceedings, Save Castletown Committee is seeking an order requiring the companies to remove the gates and fencing. The committee, with an address at Woodview, Castletown, Celbridge, says the gates and fencing are an development, as planning permission was not obtained. But in the companies' proceedings, they argue the committee has 'wrongfully asserted' that their lands are subject to a public right of way and a public right of access. The companies, with registered addresses at Millennium Park, Naas, Co Kildare, and Turnings, Straffan, Co Kildare, are seeking orders restraining the defendants from making a claim of public right of way in respect of their lands within the Castletown House demesne. The defendants say that establishing this public right of way is necessary to their argument in the unauthorised development proceedings. Both sets of proceedings return to court next week. In a sworn statement filed in the unauthorised development proceedings, Mr Monaghan said the public had previously 'enjoyed habitual access' to Castletown House via Gay's Avenue. This access has been blocked by the newly erected gates, he said. He said that the ongoing blocking of access to Castletown House at Gay's Avenue was having a 'severe impact' on the local community. Mr Monaghan said his group's purpose was to promote public access to the Castletown House estate and the reunification of the historic demesne lands. '[Save Castletown House] believes that Castletown lands are of vital historical, cultural and ecological significance for the community of Celbridge and Leixlip, and therefore considers that they should be in state ownership for the use and benefit of the people of the area and for the State as a whole,' he said.
BreakingNews.ie
19-06-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Castletown House activists sued by companies over alleged public right of way claim
A set of related companies, sued by a community group over the erection of gates allegedly blocking public access to a period house and its estate in Co Kildare, have brought separate High Court proceedings against the group and its directors. Last month, Save Castletown Committee CLG brought a High Court action claiming gates and connected fencing, erected by the owners of a 235-acre parcel of land within the historic demesne of Castletown House in Celbridge, are blocking public vehicular access to the house and grounds via a road known as Gay's Avenue. Advertisement Celio Properties Ltd, Kilross Properties Ltd, Liffey Bridge Homes Ltd and Springwood Properties Ltd acquired the parcel of land in April 2023. The rest of the estate - including the lands where the 18th-century house is situated - is owned by the Office of Public Works. Late last month, the companies brought separate proceedings against Save Castletown Committee, and two of its directors, Fintan Monaghan and Treasa Keegan. The companies have taken the proceedings against Mr Monaghan and Ms Keegan in their personal capacities, and in their capacities as representatives of the committee, according to court documents. In its proceedings, Save Castletown Committee, who is represented by FP Logue solicitors, is seeking an order requiring the companies to remove the gates and fencing. The committee, with an address at Woodview, Castletown, Celbridge, says planning permission was not obtained. Advertisement In their proceedings, the companies claim the committee has 'wrongfully asserted' that their lands are subject to a public right of way and a public right of access. The companies, with registered addresses at Millenium Park, Naas, Co Kildare and Turnings, Straffan, Co Kildare, are seeking orders restraining the defendants from making a claim of public right of way in respect of their lands within the Castletown House demesne. They say that establishing this public right of way is necessary to their argument in the unauthorised development proceedings. Both sets of proceedings return to court next week. Advertisement Ireland Legal challenge over alleged unauthorised gates bl... Read More In a sworn statement filed in the unauthorised development proceedings, Mr Monaghan says the public has previously 'enjoyed habitual access' to Castletown House via Gay's Avenue. This access has been blocked by the newly erected gates, he claims. Mr Monaghan says that the ongoing blocking of access to Castletown House at Gay's Avenue is having a 'severe impact' on the local community. Mr Monaghan says his group's purpose is to promote public access to the Castletown House estate, and the reunification of the historic demesne lands. '[Save Castletown House] believes that Castletown lands are of vital historical, cultural, and ecological significance for the community of Celbridge and Leixlip, and therefore considers that they should be in State ownership for the use and benefit of the people of the area and for the State as a whole,' he says.
Irish Times
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Locals block OPW vehicles at Castletown House as dispute over access continues
Locals stopped essential service vehicles entering Castletown House estate in Celbridge, Co Kildare on Monday as the long-running dispute over public access to the site shows no sign of abating. On Monday morning Office of Public Works (OPW) staff attempted to use motorised buggies to accompany the vehicles from the Celbridge gate entrance along Lime Avenue, a path leading to the house used by locals and protesters, who claim it is not suitable for vehicles. Locals from the Save Castletown Gate Protectors (SCGP) group said the use of the route by service vehicles would make it unsafe for vulnerable pedestrians and people who use wheelchairs. Gardaí were also present at the scene of Monday's stand-off. READ MORE The dispute over access to Castletown House has been ongoing for 20 months. The house was acquired by the State in the 1990s and sits on a large estate that is popular with local walkers. The house, one of the most architecturally significant Palladian-style country homes in Ireland, was closed in 2023 in a dispute over a right of access to its lands. On the estate a 235-acre parcel of land that stretches from the M4 entrance to the house, was bought by a developer Kilross Properties in April 2023. The gate to Castletown House at Celbridge, Co Kildare. Photograph: Stephen Farrell The M4 entrance and nearby car park were closed to the public and to the OPW. OPW staff returned to Castletown House on April 10th for the first time in two years, with a goal of opening the house to the public at the end of May. Local representatives joined protesters at Monday's peaceful stand-off. They included Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly and Fianna Fáil TD Naoise Ó Cearúil, and councillors Rupert Heather (Lab), Nuala Killeen and Claire O'Rourke (both Social Democrats). [ Vandals cause €500,000 worth of damage to OPW site used to access Castletown House Opens in new window ] The OPW want four to five essential services vehicles to drive daily along Lime Avenue accompanied by a buggy. They announced this plan on social media on Friday. The State's property management agency said the use of the avenue is safe, citing a health and safety report carried out in 2024. Protesters from the SCGP group have proposed that any essential service vehicles are accompanied on foot by an OPW staff member. The OPW said this would be too costly, at €10,000 a year – a figure disputed by protesters. Locals want the entrance at the M4 Dublin to Galway motorway and nearby car park reopened to the public, which would also allow for ease of access for essential services vehicles. [ Challenge brought over alleged unauthorised erection of gates blocking access to Castletown House Opens in new window ] 'Lime Avenue is not the solution,' said Miriam Flynn, a member of the SCGP group. 'The solution required is for the Minister to do what's necessary for there to be access via the M4 entrance.' The OPW said it was developing an application for planning permission, which will be made this summer, for a visitor car park in the Kildare Innovation Centre. Ms Flynn criticised the delay in applying for this planning permission. Local woman Monica Joy, a member of the SCGP group, expressed frustration that local residents do not have proper access to the house and its grounds. 'If you take a drive around Celbridge, there are no amenities. There is no investment for communities even though huge numbers of houses have been built,' she said.
Irish Times
12-05-2025
- Irish Times
Challenge brought over alleged unauthorised erection of gates blocking access to Castletown House
A community group has claimed in the High Court that a set of gates allegedly blocking public access to a period house and its estate in Co Kildare is an unauthorised development. Save Castletown Committee CLG claim the gates and connected fencing, erected by the owners of a 235-acre parcel of land within the historic demesne of Castletown House in Celbridge, are blocking public vehicular access to the house and grounds via a road known as Gay's Avenue. The committee is seeking an order requiring the owners to remove the gates and fencing, on the grounds that planning permission was not obtained for their erection. According to court documents, Save Castletown Committee was established in September 2023 after the Office of Public Works did not acquire the 235-acre parcel of land. READ MORE It was instead acquired by a group of related companies, the respondents in the action: Celio Properties Ltd, Kilross Properties Ltd, Liffey Bridge Homes Ltd and Springwood Properties Ltd. The privately owned parcel makes up part of the Castletown House demesne, while the State-owned part of the includes the grounds on which the house itself is built. On Monday, Save Castletown Committee's counsel John Rogers SC, appearing with Peter Leonard BL and instructed by FP Logue solicitors, said his side were looking for 'some priority' in seeking a hearing date. Appearing for respondent parties, Michael O'Donnell BL said Kildare County Council considers the erected gates to be an exempted development. Mr Justice Richard Humphreys listed the case for an expedited hearing date, set for late July. In a sworn statement, Fintan Monaghan, chairperson of Save Castletown Committee, says that the public has previously 'enjoyed habitual access' to Castletown House via Gay's Avenue. It connects an access point to the house to the northern entrance to the historic demesne, which is close to the M4 motorway. The erection of the gates and fencing has blocked all public vehicular access to the house and demesne grounds, Mr Monaghan claims. 'The lack of vehicular access has significantly limited the ability of the public to habitually access this recreational and tourist amenity,' he says. Mr Monaghan says that the ongoing blocking of access to Castletown House at Gay's Avenue is having a 'severe impact' on the local community. He claims the gates obstruct the primary route from the M4 motorway to the demesne, and could potentially delay emergency medical services from reaching the northside of the demesne, or accessing the demesne via the M4 in a timely manner. The gates could also impact tourism and recreation at Castletown House, Mr Monaghan says, and threaten the financial viability of the house. This could have a knock-on effect on local business, he says. Mr Monaghan says his group's purpose is to promote public access to the Castletown House estate, and the reunification of the historic demesne lands. '[Save Castletown House] believes that Castletown lands are of vital historical, cultural, and ecological significance for the community of Celbridge and Leixlip, and therefore considers that they should be in State ownership for the use and benefit of the people of the area and for the State as a whole,' he says.
