1990- Liam Carroll, a former electrical engineer, starts building apartments blocks and townhouses around Dublin city centre, taking advantage of tax breaks for urban regeneration schemes.
1993- Having already profited from several sites, Mr Carroll, through his company Zoe Developments, buys property on Bachelors Walk, "the best located site in the city centre". There he builds 335 apartments, 294 of which are one-bedroom "shoeboxes" – a term with which he would soon become synonymous.
1996- Output on Zoe sites hits staggering levels. Fisherman's Wharf in Ringsend; Portobello Harbour on the Grand Canal; five sites in the Liberties, as well as substantial developments at Arran Quay, Ushers Quay, Blessington Street, Mountjoy Square, Ringsend Road, Bridge Street, Watling Street and St Augustine Street. It is estimated the company has built more units than all other Dublin developers combined.
1997- Construction worker James Masterson (24) falls to his death on a Zoe site in Dublin. In court it emerges there were 13 breaches of the health and safety regulations on the site. In court, Mr Justice Peter Kelly tells Mr Carroll: "The workers on whose sweat you make your money are treated with contempt, and so are the laws." He orders the company to pay £100,000 to charity and the site is closed until safety measures are complied with.
2000- Snaps up 25 per cent stake in Dunloe Ewart, the listed property development company of solicitor Noel Smyth. Dunloe's main asset is the landbank at Cherrywood, in south Dublin.
2002m - The long-running battle for Dunloe Ewart with Noel Smyth ends with Mr Carroll in control.
2005 -Enters the battle for control of listed hotel group Jurys Doyle in August, building up a stake of 8.3 per cent. In October he sells half the stake to the Doyle family and pledges them the balance, frustrating the ambitions of rival developer Seán Dunne and making a profit of about €20 million in the process.
2006- Acquires the 21.57 per cent stake in listed food group Greencore long held by Dermot Desmond. Subsequently adds to the stake bringing it to 29.7 per cent, which he still holds.
2007- Gets involved in the battle between a management consortium and a group headed by Philip Lynch for control of shipping group Irish Continental (ICG). Beginning in June, he builds up a stake of over 29 per cent, which he still holds.
2008
January:goes on an equity buying spree, snapping up positions in three listed companies – Aer Lingus, insurer FBD and housebuilder McInerney, partly through the use of contracts for difference.
July:Sharp stock market falls see him nursing significant losses on his accumulated stock market positions and he sells his 5.5 per cent position in Aer Lingus at a loss of between €20 and €30 million. He also offloads his stake in FBD.
Most of his development sites begin to grind to a halt. However, his biggest setback comes in October when the High Court quashes planning permission for a € 200 million office development on Dublin’s North Wall Quay.
2009
June:Dutch-owned ACCBank, one of eight banks Mr Carroll owes money to, demands payment of €136 million of debt.
July 17th: Mr Carroll goes to the High Court to seek protection from his creditors. On July 31st Justice Peter Kelly, the same judge who heard the case of James Masterson in 1996, says proposals by representatives of Mr Carroll claiming his companies have a viable future are "lacking in reality". He refuses to extend court protection to the companies; Mr Carroll goes to the Supreme Court.
August 12th:The Supreme Court withdraws court protection, resulting in the High Court appointing a provisional liquidator on the request of ACCBank. In a note to investors, Bloxham Stockbrokers says the appointment of receivers appears inevitable.
August 17th: Ulster Bank, to which Mr Carroll owes money, moves to prevent any sale of over half of his 29.5 per cent stake in food group Greencore.
The manoeuvre by Ulster, owned by Royal Bank of Scotland, came ahead of a crucial High Court hearing yesterday at which Mr Carroll made a new application for an examinership of his Zoe group of companies.
