Council backs tycoon's garden railway

Irish Times, Cronan Scanlon

A millionaire businessman has been granted planning permission for the extension of a private railway line in the gardens of his estate.

Donegal County Council has granted entrepreneur Sir Gerry Robinson permission for the extension of the narrow-gauge railway track, a railway station and associated works at Oakfield Demesne, Raphoe.


He also has been granted retention permission for the existing track and locomotive shed. The permission was granted subject to six conditions, one of which directed that the development be used for recreational and not commercial use.

Originally from Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal, Sir Gerry purchased the 18th-century mansion a number of years ago from well-known local singer Billy Robinson. He has carried out considerable work on the grounds, which now include a miniature railway, a castle and an artificial lake.

Sir Gerry opens his gardens to the public every summer to raise funds for local charities.

Last year thousands of people visited Oakfield and raised almost €10,000, which will be used to carry out further investigations on the nearby Beltany stone circle.

Sir Gerry shares Oakfield with his wife, Heather, and two children, April and Timothy. He was awarded the accolade of Donegal Person of the Year in 2001, was the former head of Granada television. His family emigrated to London in 1957. He was the ninth child in a family of 10.

Having left school at 17, Sir Gerry spent a few years studying to be a priest at St Mary's seminary in Grange-on-Sands in the north of England before taking up his first job as a cost clerk.

He began his career in accountancy in 1965 with Matchbox Toys, and became chief management accountant with the firm in 1974.

In 1987, he led Britain's then largest management buyout with the £163 million purchase of Division, subsequently renamed the Compass Group, which was later floated on the stock market.

He later built Granada into the biggest player in independent television in Britain.

© The Irish Times