Dispute over assets between man and mother of his children settled

A dispute between a man and his former partner over the beneficial ownership of a company which operates a caravan park in Co Clare and other assets has been settled in the High Court.

Terms of settlement in the case taken by Mr Richard Grant against his former partner and mother of his two children, Ms Maire Hanrahan, were received yesterday by Mr Justice Smyth.

The settlement was contingent on the judge making declarations that Mr Grant is the beneficial owner of Cove Caravans Limited, of Seapark, Lahinch, and also of lands at Stackpool, Lahinch. The judge made the declarations and received the settlement. He congratulated Mr Frank Callanan SC, for Mr Grant, and Mr Bill Shipsey SC, for Ms Hanrahan, on a sensible outcome.

Mr Grant, of Shamrock Court, Lahinch, had claimed he was never legally married to Ms Hanrahan, of Seapark, Lahinch, with whom he lived for 15 years and had two children by. He argued he was the beneficial owner of substantial assets, including the estranged couple's family home, Cove Caravans Ltd, lands at Stackpool and joint bank accounts. The court heard Mr Grant was married prior to meeting Ms Hanrahan but had separated from his wife around 1979/1980 and that he met Ms Hanrahan in 1980.

They began a relationship and co-habited from 1983. Mr Grant later obtained an English divorce from his wife but his counsel claimed this was invalid under Irish law because neither Mr Grant nor his wife were domiciled in the UK. Mr Grant and Ms Hanrahan underwent what Mr Callanan described as "a form of marriage" in 1988 at a registry office in England.