Latest news with #McGirr
Otago Daily Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Showhome showcases many features
Fowler Homes' Queenstown franchisee Jason McGirr with his company's new Jack's Point showhome. PHOTO: PHILIP CHANDLER A home building company's new high-end Jack's Point showhome is designed to show off a wide range of materials and 'smart home' features. The four-bedroom, 245sqm home, on Cunningham Dr, will be Fowler Homes' local showhome for at least the next two years. A striking feature is the exterior, which is clad in bandsawn cedar with a charred and brushed finish "so we don't have to touch it again", Queenstown franchise owner Jason McGirr says. The exterior is also notable for a corten steel feature entranceway and a schist-clad chimney inside and outside surrounding a gas fireplace. McGirr says he's proudest of "the level of detail and spec the team got in, from the engineered foundations to the finishings in the rooms, the interior design work — we've really not held back on any specification". The idea, he adds, is to show prospective clients the level of craftsmanship they can expect whatever type of home they want. Local architect David Stringer designed the home, with McGirr's own interior-design team also involved. McGirr points to the showhome's several different ceiling heights, from 2.7m in the two-car garage to almost 5m in the kitchen-dining area. In addition, there are about 11 Velux skylights in the main areas. Among several smart-home features are underfloor heating and lighting that can be dialled in for each room. McGirr has entered the home in the showhome category of Registered Master Builders' annual house of the year awards.
The Sun
10-05-2025
- The Sun
Family wrongly accused of pub dine & dash and awarded £75,000 ‘are MILLIONAIRES who rejected pleas to drop lawsuit'
A FAMILY who was wrongly accused of leaving a restaurant without paying the bills have turned out to be millionaires who refused to drop a dine and dash lawsuit. Peter and Ann McGirr, along with their children Peter Jr and Carol, were awarded a whopping £75,000 by the Horse and Jockey pub where the family went for a dinner last year. 3 3 3 They ordered £27 10oz ribeye steaks and two £15.25 Derbyshire gammon steaks, washed down with several real ales and lagers. Soon after they left, the pub posted CCTV footage of the family on Facebook and alleged they left without paying the £150 bill for the fancy dinner. The restaurant even called them out for their shocking behaviour - and the family soon made headlines after being accused of dining and dashing. However, those allegations were later revealed to be false, prompting the family to sue the pub owner. The McGirrs had paid their bill in full, but a member of staff at the pub had forgotten to ring the transaction through the till. The pub said that the error was caused by an "inexperienced member of staff" who took a card payment but forgot to put it through the till. The millionaire family sued the pub for libel based on the "serious and defamatory accusations". It is understood that the pub's management settled before evidence was presented - but apologised and acknowledged the distress they caused to the family. Millionaire McGirrs are among the richest people living in County Tyrone. John Watson, the pub's landlord, had to fork out almost £140,000, which included £75,000 in damages and $60,000 in legal costs. Shameless moment 20 Travellers leave restaurant WITHOUT paying £700 bill - as CCTV reveals suspects & cops launch hunt Mr Watson is said to have flown to Belfast to apologise to the McGirrs and even offered them a complement meal and stay at he pub in return for dropping the lawsuit. A source told Daily Mail that the family didn't accept the free services and instead pursued a lawsuit because of their "wealth and excellent reputation". The source said: "A lot of ordinary people might have accepted this. But given the McGirrs' wealth and excellent reputation, that was never going to happen with them. "Their reputation received such a battering they were left with little choice other than to take legal action to restore their name." The family's lawyer said that the pub's claims - and the subsequent news coverage - caused significant damage to the reputation of the family. They told the court: "These articles contained serious and defamatory accusations that the plaintiffs had engaged in dishonest and criminal conduct by deliberately absconding without settling a bill of approximately £150. "The allegations were entirely false. The plaintiffs had not engaged in any such conduct, and the statements made by the defendants had no factual basis." A statement issued by the pub last July read: 'We want to sincerely apologise to the people involved because we have now learnt that they did in fact pay for their meal.
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: Family wrongly accused of pub dine and dash are MILLIONAIRES - and refused landlord's pleas to drop £140k lawsuit despite desperate last-minute offer
A family awarded £75,000 after being wrongly accused of leaving a pub restaurant without paying their dinner bill are multi-millionaires who sued the landlord because their reputation was severely damaged, MailOnline can reveal. Peter and Ann McGirr enjoyed a slap up meal with their adult children Peter Jr and Carol at the Horse and Jockey pub in the Peak District in July last year, eating £27 10oz ribeye steaks with all the trimmings and two £15.25 Derbyshire gammon steaks, washed down with several real ales and lagers. But after the family left, the pub posted CCTV images of them on Facebook alleging that they had left without paying their £150 bill - and condemned them for their 'shocking behaviour'. The false allegation of them being 'dine and dashers' led to a huge social media backlash against the McGirrs and were also widely reported in the national media. There was just one problem. The McGirrs had paid their bill, in full. A member of staff at the pub had forgotten to ring the transaction through the till. Last week, the McGirrs were awarded £75,000 in damages at the High Court in Belfast after successfully suing the pub for libel on the basis of the 'serious and defamatory accusations'. The pub's management settled before evidence was heard, acknowledged the distress it had caused and cleared the family of any wrongdoing. But what has not been known until now is the wealth the McGirrs enjoy, making them amongst the richest people in County Tyrone and their standing as pillars of the local community which prompted them to launch legal action to salvage their reputation. MailOnline can also reveal that the successful outcome of their case has left John Watson, 59, the landlord of the pub facing financial ruin as he will have to fork out around £140,000 in total. In addition to the £75,000 in damages paid to the McGirrs, Mr Watson also has to cover their legal costs, estimated at £40,000 and pay for his own legal costs of just over £20,000. In an attempt to settle the case before it reached court, MailOnline understands that Mr Watson flew to Belfast to personally apologise to the McGirrs and offered them a complimentary meal and stay in his pub in return for dropping the legal action. A source told MailOnline: 'A lot of ordinary people might have accepted this. But given the McGirrs' wealth and excellent reputation, that was never going to happen with them. I feel a bit sorry for the pub management because in this instance, they picked on the wrong family over a £150 bill. 'They are not the kind of people to do a 'dine and dash' so I didn't believe it when I first heard about it. But their reputation received such a battering they were left with little choice other than to take legal action to restore their name.' A family friend of the McGirrs' added: 'They are very well known and respected in the Omagh area and are one of the wealthiest families around here. Everybody was very shocked when these allegations were first made because the McGirrs are not short of a pound or two. 'Some people just couldn't understand why people as rich as them would do something like this and a lot of horrible things were said about them, not just on social media but by some within the community. It was a very difficult time for the family because they knew all along that they were innocent.' The family run and own McGirr Engineering, an internationally renowned company that manufactures block making machines for the construction industry and is based just outside Omagh, where they also live. According to latest documents filed at Companies House, the business is worth more than £2 million and has cash reserves of £1.3 million. Its annual turnover is not listed but sources told MailOnline that this is 'several' million pounds. The firm employs around 20 people making specialist machines that can cost anything up to £150,000 each and are sold all over the world. Carol McGirr, daughter of Peter and Ann, said following the verdict: 'Thank god it's all over and our names are cleared' McGirr Engineering is considered the UK's leading block equipment manufacturer and was founded 40 years ago by Peter McGirr senior, 69, one of the four family members falsely accused of doing a 'dine and dash.' A friend revealed that he had taken his family to the Peak District for a short break and so enjoyed the food at the Horse and Jockey pub that they returned for a second meal. The friend said: 'Peter is a self-made man and a credit to his family and community. He built this business from nothing, and it is now run by his son Peter Junior. But despite his age, he still turns up for work and gets involved. 'A lot of people around here know and admire him. The name of the family is important to Peter and that's why they had to take this legal action. They don't need the money. They could have gone for even more than £75,000 but this was all about setting the record straight and repairing the reputational damage the family suffered.' At the High Court in Belfast, Peter Girvan, the family's barrister said that the pub's claims and subsequent media reporting of them caused enormous reputational damage to the family. He told the court: 'These articles contained serious and defamatory accusations that the plaintiffs had engaged in dishonest and criminal conduct by deliberately absconding without settling a bill of approximately £150. 'The allegations were entirely false. The plaintiffs had not engaged in any such conduct, and the statements made by the defendants had no factual basis.' The family's solicitor, Darragh Carney, said they had been 'vindicated', reading a statement on their behalf outside court. He added the group were 'very satisfied with the settlement' by way of compensation for 'defamation of their character'. Last year the pub blamed the error on an 'inexperienced member of staff' who was said to have taken payment via card machine but not printed the bill on the till. A statement issued by the pub last July read: 'We want to sincerely apologise to the people involved because we have now learnt that they did in fact pay for their meal. 'There was no dishonesty involved from our staff, it was an honest mistake, but we have dismissed the member of staff responsible for the error.' An apology was also read out in court which acknowledged the distress caused and fully cleared the family of any wrongdoing. Following the settlement, Carol McGirr, daughter of Peter and Ann, said in a statement uploaded to Facebook: '10 months later.. thank god it's all over and our names are cleared. 'Tip for all our friends and family: don't pay for your food and drink before you eat as this is what can happen.. plus use a card otherwise we had [sic] no evidence of payment.'
Herald Sun
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Sun
Experts weigh in on whether the next Pope could be from Africa or Asia
Don't miss out on the headlines from Europe. Followed categories will be added to My News. Barack Obama in the White House. Rishi Sunak in Downing Street. Meghan Markle in the British Royal Family. The 21st century has seen people of colour claim positions of prestige in some of the world's most powerful institutions. So are we nearing the moment when the Catholic Church elects an African or Asian Pope? Church commentators – and the bookies – suggest it's a definite possibility, with Luis Antonio Tagle from The Philippines and Peter Turkson from Ghana considered strong contenders for the papacy. So what would it mean, to have a person of colour heading the Catholic Church? In important ways, it would mean nothing at all – on the basis that skin colour is irrelevant for any candidate for any job. But the election of a Pope from the Third World, or the Global South as it is sometimes now called, could have ramifications both for the region that Pope comes from, and the Church as a whole. 'To have a black pope would revive the Christian faith in Africa and change people's views of Africa, by showing that an African can hold this office,' Father Charles Yapi from the Ivory Coast told Reuters. Africa is currently home to one in five of the world's Catholics; Asia is home to one in nine. And as the continents with the fastest growing populations, those proportions are likely to grow. Writing in The Times, Roger Boyes wrote that it was 'more than a numbers game'. Tipping Cardinal Turkson to become the first black Pope since the early centuries of the Church, Mr Boyes wrote: 'an African pope could use his weight to insert the continent more firmly into the geopolitics of the day'. Other commentators have suggested the political implications of climate change could impact the next papacy in unforeseen ways, perhaps boosting the case for a pontiff from one of the regions set to be most affected. Michael McGirr, Mission Director with the Catholic charity Caritas, said cardinals from both Asia and Africa were a 'diverse group' but 'some of the more conservative cardinals over the last while have come from Africa'. 'Just because somebody comes from Africa, it doesn't mean that they're going to be progressive,' he said. There are a number of cardinals from Asia who the conclave will likely consider seriously, Mr McGirr said. One is Cardinal Charles Maung Bo from Myanmar, who has 'a lot of credit for dealing with a difficult political situation'. His conservative leanings and strong credibility on justice issues will appeal to some Cardinals, but his age – 78 – could work against him, Mr McGirr said. 'And there is a wonderful Cardinal in Tonga called Cardinal Mafi. He's quite a young man, he's 65, he'd be fantastic … but I don't think he has the theological underpinning. But he's great with people and very humble and accessible.' One of the frontrunners mentioned is Cardinal Luis Tagle, the former Archbishop of Manila, but Mr McGirr is not so sure. 'He has a lot going for him, but he was the head of Caritas International and for some reason the Pope (Francis) sacked him. I think that means he's unlikely to get the nod,' he said.
The Guardian
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Flounced dresses and laced boots fill McQueen's Dickens-coded Paris show
Backstage after his third Paris fashion week show, Dublin-born Seán McGirr, 36, was asked whether he was growing in confidence as the designer of Alexander McQueen. 'I guess so?' he replied, with an emphasis on the question mark. 'I spend so much time with the incredible atelier. Really getting into it, you know? So, I guess so.' The clothes spoke with more self-assurance than McGirr took credit for. The setting was the Royal Cabinet of Natural History, built in 1785 as part of the Natural History Museum in Paris, a room catwalk-shaped but Dickens-coded – a tall, narrow alleyway heavy with wooden cabinets, which once showcased scientific curiosities from all over the world. The entrance to the runway was a dazzling glass corridor from which the models appeared before stepping on to the wooden floor, as if emerging from a hall of mirrors. Sign up to Fashion Statement Style, with substance: what's really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved after newsletter promotion McGirr's starting point for the season was Night Walks, Charles Dickens' autobiographical essay recounting nocturnal walks taken through London while suffering from insomnia. Not an obvious aesthetic reference, but a perfect one at a house where Lee McQueen's very first collection was named Jack The Ripper Stalks His Victims. The show began with black tailoring, strict yet fine-boned so that the models walked with fluid grace, casting exaggerated silhouettes with pinched shoulders and proud collars, high armholes and narrow waists in inky twill wool. 'McQueen is about a waist,' said McGirr, adding that he had 'taken pieces from the archive and reworked them for today'. Then came flounced dresses, sharpened to a point with lace-up Victorian booties and worn, in 2025, with black sunglasses. McGirr said he was 'thinking about the idea of the modern dandy, and especially of Oscar Wilde, who is someone I grew up with as a teenager from Dublin'. There was blood red, soft dawn-sky lilac, and a queasy green the colour of absinthe, or of Wilde's signature carnations. The exaggerated points of the shoes were taken from 'a box of shoes we found from 1994, all beaten up'. It is, to paraphrase Dickens, the worst of times and the best of times for McGirr to be wrestling with the heavy heritage of Alexander McQueen. The worst of times, because slowing sales means an urgency to deliver commercial hits, which is leading to a high turnover of creative directors. For McGirr, the return to the scene this Paris fashion week of Sarah Burton, his predecessor at McQueen who is now helming Givenchy, has added another layer of pressure as he goes head to head with his old boss. But it is also the best of times, because the prevailing winds of fashion are turning back toward what McQueen does best. The month of catwalk shows now drawing to a close in Paris has brought a return to hourglass tailoring, and a rejection of the oversized, stretched, unisex silhouettes with which Balenciaga and its many followers dominated fashion until recently. Some observers attribute this shift to an Ozempic-fuelled return to narrow bodies. Others see it as part of a broader cultural backlash against 'woke' culture, in which a Trumpian return to two genders is reflected in ultra-feminine silhouettes in women's clothing. Either way, it places McQueen's fetishisation of waists, heels and lace back in a fashion sweet spot.
