US billionaire eyes Mount Juliet resort

Co Kilkenny resort has expected sale price of about €15 million

Billionaire US businessman John Malone is believed to have expressed an interest in acquiring the high-profile Mount Juliet hotel and country club resort in Co Kilkenny, which is being sold by the Mahony family.

The property has been on the market for about three months with an expected sale price of about €15 million.

Mr Malone is reported to be the largest landowner in the US and has been involved in acquiring a number of assets in Ireland in the past couple of years. These include Humewood Castle in Co Wicklow, and two hotels in Dublin – the Hilton Hotel in Charlemont Place and the Trinity Capital on Pearse Street.

The hotels were acquired in partnership with Lalco Hotel Group, an Irish hotel operator led by John Lally.

READ MORE

Mr Malone has roots in Cork and is chairman of Liberty Global, a listed company in the US with cable TV and telecoms investments across the world. This includes UPC Ireland.

Mount Juliet is set on 600 hectares and is best-known for its golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, which has previously hosted the European Tour’s Irish Open.

Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock is Business Editor of The Irish Times