Man whose home 'disappeared' underwhelmed by €46k compensation award

A County Down man has been awarded 46,000 euros after his holiday home on Tory Island "disappeared". Film-maker Neville Presho bought the 150-year old house overlooking the island's harbour in the early 1980s before he moved to New Zealand.

On his return in 1994 the house had disappeared and been replaced by a septic tank and car park for a hotel.

The judge ruled that the hotel's owner, Patrick Doohan, should pay the damages and also be liable for costs.


The building on the far right of this photograph was the former Tory Island home of Neville Presho.

Lawyers for Mr Doohan, who owns the Ostan Thoraigh Comhlacht Teoranta hotel, told the court they would appeal the judgement. The high court had previously heard that Mr Presho's house was damaged by fire in unexplained circumstances on 14 January, 1993.

It was gradually removed in the following nine months and when Mr Presho - who is from Holywood - returned from New Zealand in July 1994, there was no trace of it. The court ruled in July that he was entitled to a new house or its equivalent market value.

On Monday, Mr Justice Roderick Murphy said Mr Presho should get 46,000 euros. Afterwards, Mr Presho said he thought he should have received much more, saying 46,000 euros "wouldn't build a chicken coop".