Jim Mansfield R.I.P

Stavros Murphy

Jim Mansfield has died. I for one am sorry, I found him a decent man to deal with. Pity he was so battered financially towards the end.

Menas

Who?

Sir Arthur Daley

I knew a Father Clint power once?

MammaZita

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

Jim Mansfield has died. I for one am sorry, I found him a decent man to deal with. Pity he was so battered financially towards the end.

Hadn't heard this. I hope his financial woes were not the underlying cause. RIP.

henryporter

The man who developed City West and had his own airport out that direction too. Got a doing for trying to build a conference centre there without Planning Permission.

COYW

Yep, he built his empire from nothing, starting off in scrap metal I believe. RIP.

mathepac

henryporter wrote: »

The man who developed City West and had his own airport out that direction too. Got a doing for trying to build a conference centre there without Planning Permission.

.. bribing the right FF planning officials.

RIP.

Lapin

There is something admirable about a person who bought up a load of scrap metal left over from a conflict thousands of miles away and sold it on for millions.

He invested his wealth in his local area, put some run down parts of west Dublin on the map and provided jobs for hundreds.

However, his scant regard for the planning laws and poor taste in architecture leave a lot to be desired. But thats for another day.

May he R.I.P.

Stavros Murphy

I spoke to a close friend of his today, one of Irelands former wealthiest men, also battered at this stage and he said Jim was one of the cleverest men he'd ever met - he didn't even have a Father growing up yet dragged himself to the heights. I think his legacy - Citywest, has brought a lot of pleasure to a lot of people and it seemed a bit off not to even see a mention of his passing. Anyway, condolences to his family. The financial travails couldn't have done his health much good.

MadsL

His gravestone will have planning I take it?

Stavros Murphy

MadsL wrote: »

His gravestone will have planning I take it?

Hopefully not, just for the craic. I think he would have liked that.

genericguy

Thought the usual AH RIP whores would've been all over this hours ago.

sabat

Yes, it is incredible how a private airport with little or no customs checks on the fringes of a small city became such a success.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/mansfield-jet-trafficking-led-by-former-ira-activist-26417006.html

COYW

henryporter wrote: »

The man who developed City West and had his own airport out that direction too.

Weston airport. I flew in and out if it on many occasions. No longer the owner of it, I believe.

sabat wrote: »

Yes, it is incredible how a private airport with little or no customs checks on the fringes of a small city became such a success.

An awful lot of the flight schools for pilot training are based out there. I'd guess that is where they make their money.

Stavros Murphy

genericguy wrote: »

Thought the usual AH RIP whores would've been all over this hours ago.

I don't think I'm a member of that club. I was just genuinely saddened to hear he had passed.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Still ended up another developer who borrowed money he couldn't repay. Easy to be a big developer with RR , jet etc back in the day when you borrowed against inflated assets, built what you felt like without permission and did not make sure monies would be available to pay back debts.

Stavros Murphy

sabat wrote: »

Yes, it is incredible how a private airport with little or no customs checks on the fringes of a small city became such a success.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/mansfield-jet-trafficking-led-by-former-ira-activist-26417006.html

That bullsh1t dogged his life - "a reputation" - which was based on utter b0llox - he was a businessman. The fact he rubbed the establishment up the wrong way contributed to a lot of the false smears and innuendo. He got kicked down at every turn but still bulled on.

MadsL

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

That bullsh1t dogged his life - "a reputation" - which was based on utter b0llox - he was a businessman. The fact he rubbed the establishment up the wrong way contributed to a lot of the false smears and innuendo. He got kicked down at every turn but still bulled on.

By building without planning permission on borrowed money? What a hero.

sabat

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

bullsh1t

false smears

innuendo

Really? So his private jet wasn't being used for importing drugs?

Stavros Murphy

sabat wrote: »

Really? So his private jet wasn't being used for importing drugs?

If I hire you a car you get to do what you like with it. Regardless, I'm not getting into a cake-fight, I just thought it was sad he died.

MadsL

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

If I hire you a car you get to do what you like with it. Regardless, I'm not getting into a cake-fight, I just thought it was sad he died.

Wait. There's cake? When's the funeral?

Stavros Murphy

MadsL wrote: »

Wait. There's cake? When's the funeral?

Some people emigrate and are really no loss. Do you not have an e-mail or text to be getting aggravated about?.

MadsL

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

Some people emigrate and are really no loss. Do you not have an e-mail or text to be getting aggravated about?.

I cost the country much less than this bloke when I left.

I'm baffled how you find it sad that someone who's debts are now being serviced by the nation who dies at 75 to be 'sad'.

"Sad" how exactly?

Stavros Murphy

MadsL wrote: »

I cost the country much less than this bloke when I left.

I'm baffled how you find it sad that someone who's debts are now being serviced by the nation who dies at 75 to be 'sad'.

"Sad" how exactly?

Well done. You probably created jobs for far more people and had a nicer hotel too. I'm thrilled for you. Sad as in I'm sad he's dead sort of sad.

MadsL

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

Well done. You probably created jobs for far more people and had a nicer hotel too. I'm thrilled for you. Sad as in I'm sad he's dead sort of sad.

We are having a hotel measuring contest now? I'm disappointed, I thought there was a cake-fight promised.

Remind me again how many people had to emigrate as a result of these arrogant bastards who borrowed money, flouted the law, and ultimately failed leaving the nation to pick up the tab.

dreamers75

Its not unnatural for buildings/extensions(company type not private) to be built without planning permission. I work in 2 fairly large buildings which were built and planning permission were applied for retro style.

But the people who built the ones I work didnt have any issues getting PP 3 years after the building opened.

Guy:Incognito

It washim that built the mill centre in clondalkin was it not? Stole a nice bit of land from the missus' grandfather and sold it in all of that.

Menas

Ok, having read his wiki page I feel like this outpouring of grief smells a bit like one of Seanie Quinns rallys.

He died in debt to the nation. If he died with the nation in debt to him I would have started this thread myself.

MadsL

dreamers75 wrote: »

Its not unnatural for buildings/extensions(company type not private) to be built without planning permission. I work in 2 fairly large buildings which were built and planning permission were applied for retro style.

But the people who built the ones I work didnt have any issues getting PP 3 years after the building opened.

You are aware that Mansfield cost the Irish taxpayer €300million, and that as I recall the retrospective planning granted was held to be breach of EU law.

Building without planning permission at the scale Mansfield did is hardly 'natural'.

Frankie Lee

What is the story with libel now that he is dead?

SimonLynch

He seemed to divide opinion, people either loved or hated him, quite funny when his brothers come into Blessington for a pint, half the pub are all over them and the other half retreat to the other end of the pub and give them daggers.

Menas

Frankie Lee wrote: »

What is the story with libel now that he is dead?

Don't worry, say what you think, he can't sue you from the grave.

seamus

Frankie Lee wrote: »

What is the story with libel now that he is dead?

Can't libel a dead man. You can say whatever you want about them.

Not that boards would let you, it does have some decency.

Mansfield is marmite. Some people see him as a Bill Cullen-type rags-to-riches hero who rose to rub shoulders with the horsey crowd by taking risks and giving two fingers to the establishment.
Others see him as a dangerous man with very dodgy relationships and complete disregard for laws or other people when it came to getting his own way.

I'm sure his family though see him as someone they love, so my thoughts are with them.

fryup

any relation to thelma mansfield?? (ex rte continuity announcer)

notnumber

The celtic tiger and Nama have taken the sheen of his achievements .
I dont know about the planning objections but he worked hard for his money in the days before money was being thrown around like confetti ..sad to see all he developed lost to bwankers ..I imagine he died a broken man..there should definitely be a monument to the man in citywest..Jim Mansfield RIP

Hootanany

no he didnt robbed all of his sub contractors dispicable morals for a man

goose2005

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

Well done. You probably created jobs for far more people and had a nicer hotel too. I'm thrilled for you. Sad as in I'm sad he's dead sort of sad.

"Created jobs"? What about the jobs he destroyed? I mean, if someone who never works in their life and just draws the dole, they might cost the state €1,000,000 or so. Big Jim cost us many multiples of that, but his kids won't go hungry.

whupdedo

A lot of small minded people still going on about who cost us this and who owed us that,some people would prefer to have us destitute and poor for eternity to justify weak and pointless posts about bond holders and national debt. I will pay rest in peace but I won't defend or accuse him of something I know **** all about as some posters believe they do.

Hootanany

he shagged sub contractors thats how he made a load of money just google it.

notnumber

Hootanany wrote: »

no he didnt robbed all of his sub contractors dispicable morals for a man

He was convicted of this? ..or are you engaging in slander?

Stavros Murphy

Hootanany wrote: »

he shagged sub contractors thats how he made a load of money just google it.

Everyone shags sub-contractors, at some stage or another. Nothing rare or unique in that. Some do it on purpose, some because they run into difficulty themselves.

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

Stavros Murphy

ziggy wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Doubtful - it struggled financially on every front. That's like blaming the owners of Dublin Port for any dodgy cargo someone brings through it. Every freight company, port, airport, dock and landing field gets plagued with people pulling stuff like this.

oppenheimer1

Frankie Lee wrote: »

What is the story with libel now that he is dead?

You can't libel the dead

Stavros Murphy

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

You can't libel the dead

There used to be another rule about not speaking ill of the dead either. That was a good and fair rule imo. They get it hard to defend themselves.

Boombastic

did he will his assests to the state?

Stavros Murphy

Boombastic wrote: »

did he will his assests to the state?

Na man.

Guy:Incognito

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

There used to be another rule about not speaking ill of the dead either. That was a good and fair rule imo. They get it hard to defend themselves.

That's not a rule. It's a cop out.

If someone is a wanker, dieing doesn't change that. Just like every time some scumbag is killed their whole family is on saying how nice they were and how they wouldn't hurt a fly.

Stavros Murphy

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

That's not a rule. It's a cop out.

If someone is a wanker, dieing doesn't change that. Just like every time some scumbag is killed their whole family is on saying how nice they were and how they wouldn't hurt a fly.

A good rule of thumb I stick to is "Never a bollox died". Slagging the dead is a low I'll give a miss to. I've enough live ones to be going on with.

keeponhurling

Boombastic wrote: »

did he will his assests to the state?

I'm not sure he personally guaranteed anything so the state could only seize all his businesses assets, and the taxpayer picked up the rest.

Would be a nice touch if he did, though

Stavros Murphy

keeponhurling wrote: »

I'm not sure he personally guaranteed anything so the state could only seize all his businesses assets, and the taxpayer picked up the rest.

Would be a nice touch if he did, though

So that was Jims decision, yes? Or did the state choose to lump it onto the taxpayer? Banks borrowed, they lost. The State chose to step in. I'm guessing he himself would have said let the banks go get their own money. You sure the right people are being blamed??