The house that Jackie loves and is now trying to get back
THIS is the Kerry mansion at the centre of Jackie Lavin’s court battle to save the home she once shared with Bill Cullen.
And despite the businesswoman suing her partner of four decades, the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal their relationship is rock solid and has not been dented by this unusual action. A spokesman for the couple confirmed they are ‘both fine and together’.
Situated in the heart of Killarney National Park, near Muckross Hotel, which the couple previously owned, Killegy House was built by Mr Cullen.
The stone-fronted country pile boasts a stunning wooden panel conservatory with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the expansive gardens and tennis court.
It emerged this week that Ms Lavin is suing Bill Cullen, and the receivers of his company Glencullen Properties Ltd, over an alleged failure to complete a €1m property sale. The high-profile businessman and former star of TV3’s The Apprentice is the firm’s sole shareholder and a director. This week the High Court was told that Ulster Bank appointed Kavanagh Fennell as receivers over Glencullen Properties’ assets, including Killegy House, in 2012.
Ulster Bank created a charge over Glencullen’s assets in 1999, including Killegy House. Ms Lavin claims that in 2009 the company sought additional credit facilities from Ulster Bank to allow it to continue to trade during the downturn. She claims the bank was unwilling to do this unless €1m was invested in the company. After the sale of a property they had in Florida for $7.25m, Ms Lavin said she agreed to advance Mr Cullen €1m. As part of the arrangement, Killegy House would be sold to her, she said. She paid over €757,000 to the firm but it has failed to complete the sale of the property to her, she added. After the company was placed in receivership, an order was obtained from the Residential Tenancies Board requiring her to leave the house.
In her action, she seeks an order for the specific performance directing the sale of Killegy House to her. Glencullen Properties denies the claims.