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.
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.
