Row over Citywest hotel complex gets a little spooky

I understand Pat McCann's Dalata group will run the Citywest hotel in Dublin, the biggest hotel complex in the country, for the time being at least. The situation will be reviewed early next year.

The hotel is being bought by Brehon Capital for about €29 million from a bank receiver who took it from the late Jim Mansfield. As readers will know, a company associated with Mansfield's family has threatened to injunct the deal.

Things took a mysterious twist this week when I got a missive from a group called Citywest Convention Centre Creditors (CCCC). It was unsigned but featured an email address. There was no response from it by the time we went to print.

The group claims to represent building contractors who allege they are owed unpaid fees for work on the convention centre when it was built by Jim Mansfield, and also claims they have title to part of the building. It threatens a boycott of Citywest and some of Brehon’s other Irish hotels, until they are paid.

Then it gets a little odd. It calls Brehon as an “Irish/Jewish vulture fund” and refers to an interview Brehon chief executive Kevin McGillicuddy gave where he said Brehon was “a rabid dog” for the Citywest deal.

“Mr McGillicuddy should know what happens to rabid dogs,” the letter says. Brehon wouldn’t comment.