Carr Mills Property Development

Here is the Memo of Association. The firm is directed by property developer Enda Hunston. Taoiseach Brian Cowen is related to the firm in this story.

I wonder what Mr Hunston’s history is.

In March 2004, Mr Hunston claimed his signature had been forged on a joint investment agreement over a €3.3m hotel and fishing lodge development in Mayo. His co-investors were former Esat Digifone chief executive Barry Moloney, Mr Moloney’s brothers Alan and James, and British venture capitalist Bruce Dunlevie.

All four denied that they had forged his signature. It was also suggested that the contractor who had been awarded the tender to build the development, was not the contractor (Mitchell O’Grady), Mr Hunston wanted. Apparently Mr Hunston had met Alan Moloney while working at Norwich Union. He had never met Barry Moloney until the events that led to the proceedings began. The case centred on Mount Falcon in Mayo.

In late March, the case was settled, with the four defendants accepting that the signature on the document was not Mr Hunston’s, though they were not responsible for placing the signature on the document. Alan Moloney claimed that Mr Hunston had also admitted to him that he had handed confidential documents to Mitchell O’Grady relating to the tendering process. Mr Moloney said Mr Hunston had apologised for this. He said Mr Hunston had claimed there would be serious consequences if Mitchell O’Grady did not get the contract, and Mr Moloney had taken this as a threat. He asked Mr Hunston to elaborate, where, he said, Mr Hunston replied that the project would have lost the political connections of Mitchell O’Grady.

Mr Hunston denied this.

Bernard Mitchell was involved with Mitchell O’Grady, but Mr Hunston denied there was any payback promised. All of Mr Mitchell’s firms are now dissolved. They were:

BERNARD MITCHELL PLANT HIRE LIMITED
EUROFRONT CONSTRUCTION LIMITED
M & OG CONTRACTORS LIMITED (Mitchell O’Grady)
MASTER OAKS DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED

The Irish Times reported that Mr Hunston’s speciality, when working as a mortgage and pension advisor in the late 1990s, was investment in tax-designated properties.

As well as being director of Carr Mills Property, Mr Hunston is also a director of:

King Oaks Developments Ltd
Hunston Aviation Ltd
Hunston Group International Property Consultants Ltd
Global Financial Index Ltd

He also appears to be a director of

Reventer Holdings Ltd