Celebrities ‘interested’ in purchasing iconic venue

An MMA fighter and a former presidential candidate for the Republic of Ireland are both reportedly interested in purchasing the Slieve Russell golf resort in Northern Ireland.

The four-star hotel resort, featuring an 18-hole championship golf course and a nine-hole academy course, has been under control of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) since 2011.

It was previously owned by former billionaire Seán Quinn.

According to The Irish Times, the liquidators of IBRC, Kieran Wallace and Eamonn Richardson of Interpath Advisory, are preparing the asset for sale. The paper reports the liquidators invited pitches in recent weeks from a number of commercial property agents, with a view to offering the hotel for sale early 2024.

Image from X

It has been reported in The Currency that Seán Gallagher, a former judge on the Irish version of Dragons’ Den and who ran for the Irish presidency in 2018, has appointed Tom Barrett, the experienced director of hotels and leisure at Savills, to advise a bid.

It has also been reported that MMA fighter Conor McGregor has expressed an interest in purchasing the venue.

While it has been under control of the receivers for more than a decade, Slieve Russell continues to trade successfully, recording a pre-tax profit of around €5m (£4.4m) in 2022, double the previous year.