Galway County Council is bringing legal action against a former Nama developer over his company’s alleged failure to comply with planning enforcement notices at a 48-home scheme in Connemara and an obligation to lodge a €1 million bond with the local authority last year.
Gerry Barrett – the Edward Holdings developer and one-time owner of the five-star G Hotel and Spa in Galway city – and his company, Denalibrook Ltd, are named in a recently issued District Court summons.
A separate company, Drumque Ltd, originally received permission to develop the 48-unit scheme called An Maolán at Forramoyle East, Barna, in 2018.
Dublin-based management consultant Pat O’Sullivan, who is listed as a director of Denalibrook alongside Barrett, is also named in company documents as a director of Drumque. That entity was struck off the Companies Register and dissolved in 2024 for failing to file annual returns.
RM Block
In March 2025, Denalibrook, which has not filed accounts since 2022, applied to the council to extend the delivery time frame on the Barna development by two years.
The local authority agreed to extend the permission for one year on condition the developer lodge a cash deposit or other security of almost €1.05 million with the council within three months. The council said this was to “secure the provision and satisfactory completion” of the development and a section of road to its east.
In 2024, Denalibrook, Barrett and O’Sullivan had been served with a planning enforcement notice related to the same scheme.
The Connacht Tribune reported at the time that planners told the developers they were not complying with conditions attached to the original approval linked to roadworks, landscaping and other issues.
The council is now taking Barrett, O’Sullivan and Denalibrook to court over their alleged failure to comply with the 2024 enforcement notice and a September 2025 enforcement notice related to the financial conditions attached to the extension of the planning permission.
The case is due to be heard by Galway District Court next month.
Approached for comment, Galway County Council planning director Liam Hanrahan said: “As the case is ongoing and with our legal team, we are not in a position to comment at this point.”
Barrett did not respond to questions put to him through Edward Holdings.
The first An Maolán units were advertised for sale in 2019. Many sold quickly. However, delivery of the scheme was beset by delays, with some purchasers waiting several years to receive the keys to their new home.
The scheme is now largely occupied, but aspects of it are yet to be completed.
