Not so Fass, Michael’s parents told
MICHAEL FASSBENDER’S parents have been forced to stop work on a housing development at the back of the Hollywood star’s childhood home.
It comes after homeowners in Killarney, Co. Kerry, claimed the windows on the development would overlook their houses and affect their privacy.
Judge Thomas E O’Donnell, sitting at Tralee Circuit Court, ordered all construction to stop on Josef and Adele Fassbender’s four townhouses, which are being built at the back of their home.
Before he made his order, the judge heard claims by Eamon Bannon and James Houlihan, who own neighbouring properties on New Street.
Their barrister, Michael Munnelly, told Judge O’Donnell that the Fassbenders had originally included windows overlooking his clients’ homes in their initial planning application, made in 2007.
Although Kerry County Council granted permission, this was successfully appealed to An Bord Pleanála and the council’s decision was overturned.
When the first application went in, it was for ‘apartments’. However, when a revised application was submitted in 2008, it was for ‘mews-style two-storey apartments’. Those plans did not include overlooking windows.
Revised drawings that were submitted in June 2009 also did not include the controversial windows. After Kerry County Council issued a warning letter, the Fassbenders lodged a retention planning application which featured plans with the windows and a higher roofline. This time, the application was for ‘townhouses’.
The Fassbenders moved to Killarney from Germany in 1979, when Michael was two years old as the couple wanted to bring up their family in Co. Kerry.
The 41-year-old star’s mother Adele is from Co. Antrim while his father Josef is from Germany.
Michael worked as a postman and a labourer before he made it in the film industry. He married Swedish actress Alicia Vikander in October in Ibiza.
In 2016 the X-Men: First Class star was inducted into the Order of Innisfallen in Killarney.