A Co Galway widow avoided a jail sentence yesterday for contempt of court after a businessman stepped in and agreed to pay €200,000 to the woman's niece in an out of court settlement for her share of a disputed family farm.
Bridie Donohue (74) was back living in her farmhouse and farming her land at Ardnadooman, Loughrea, Co Galway, yesterday evening following the out of court settlement offered by local businessman Martin Ward. He pledged to pay €200,000 to Ms Donohue's niece, Bernie Daly, in settlement of her claim on a farm which was jointly left to both women by Ms Donohue's late husband in 1998.
The court had previously been told that Ms Donohue and her late husband, John, had reared their niece since the age of five and had no children of their own.
Ms Donohue had been held in contempt of court by Judge Harvey Kenny last week at Galway Circuit Court for not abiding by a court order which stipulated she vacate the farm and farmhouse, situated at Ardnadooman, Loughrea, so that it could be sold for €400,000 to a named buyer.
The proceeds of the sale were to be split equally between Ms Donohue and Ms Daly, but until the eve of yesterday's court hearing, Ms Donohue had continued to live in the farmhouse and farm the land.
As part of the out of court settlement, Mr Ward agreed to pay €200,000 to Ms Daly, by close of business next Wednesday, so that Ms Donohue could continue to live in the farmhouse and farm the land.
A spokesman for Ms Donohue said a sum of €25,000 was to be paid over immediately, which would allow her return to the farmhouse yesterday evening.
Mr Ward, the spokesman added, had also agreed to pay all legal fees, totalling €45,000.