Son of Noel O'Callaghan 'greatly regrets' telling him he wanted to 'shoot' him over bitter business dispute

High Court Reporter

A son of multi-millionaire hotelier Noel O'Callaghan has lodged papers with the High Court in which he said he 'greatly regrets' telling his father he wanted to shoot him after a deterioration in their relationship due to a business dispute.

The High Court has reserved its decision on whether the dispute between O'Callaghan and his sons should go into arbitration.

In papers submitted to the court, Paul O'Callaghan submits that there had been a "significant deterioration" in the relationship with his father since August 2024, but, he said, he and his brother had tried "very hard" to resolve the dispute through mediation.

"I do at this stage, unfortunately, have a very poor relationship with my father," he submits.

Paul O'Callaghan refers to an incident included in his father's affidavit that on September 10th, 2025, following "several hours of hours of back and forward, tempers between us were very frayed".

In the course of the row, Paul O'Callaghan says he "absolutely" did make comments "in utter frustration". In the early hours of the morning he said words to the effect "that if I had a gun I would shoot him [Noel O'Callaghan] because he was being so wholly unreasonable".

Paul O'Callaghan submits he greatly regretted making the comment and that around 3am, he and his father shook hands on a memorandum of understanding on which his father later "reneged".

The court has previously heard that Mr O'Callaghan (75) stepped back in 2016 from the hospitality business he built over 40 years to focus on his bloodstock business, leaving operational matters to his sons.

In addition to the five hotels it operates, the company, Saira, owns the Mountarmstrong stud farm in Co Tipperary, along with around 100 rental apartments, owned by Só Living.

It is claimed that in agreeing the transfer of his shares to his sons - out of "natural love and affection" - he wanted a "fallback position in the event of any future dispute" whereby he could retake control of Saira.

Noel O'Callaghan has taken the case against his sons, Paul and Charles O'Callaghan, Saira Company Dublin and subsidiary company Sherborough Development Company, who deny the claims against them.

As part of the alleged 2016 agreement, Noel O'Callaghan claims he was to be paid an annual salary of €500,000 for the rest of his life, have credit card expenses discharged and receive the benefit and control of Mountarmstrong, none of which materialised.

It is alleged that since 2024, Paul and Charles have attempted to exercise control over the bloodstock business with instructions for valuations and sales, some allegedly done without their father's consent.

In his affidavit, Paul O'Callaghan submits that the bloodstock business was never a personal asset of Noel O'Callaghan and that the board was "always" in control of the company and its assets.

In 2024, Noel O'Callaghan sold his interest in the Archers Building on Fenian Street, Dublin, to Saira.

He claimed that Saira failed to disclose to him that the tenant, KBC bank, was negotiating the surrender of its lease on the building, which was sold for €16.6 million, constituting an alleged material non disclosure and secret profit.

Paul O'Callaghan claims that his father was involved and informed regarding the sale of the building and that KBC had previously announced it was leaving the Irish market and this was nationally known.

Paul O'Callaghan submits that the dispute before the High Court is one of "great regret" and that his father's claims "are designed to cause embarrassment and apply inappropriate pressure".

He claims that his father had no entitlement to a "purported 2016 agreement under which he claims entitlements in respect of salary, credit card expenses and the use of Mountarmstrong stud for life".

He claims that there was no 2016 agreement on alleged terms regarding salary and expenses as they remained in draft form and were never signed.

The arbitration motion was brought by the defendants, which, they say, is facilitated by a clause in the 2024 agreement that saw Noel O'Callaghan step away from Saira but remain with proxy shares that allowed him to vote on their behalf at Saira.

Noel O'Callaghan claims the 2024 arbitration clause is not operative and of no legal effect as he was never told of its existence and had been misled by his sons.

He claims subsequent business events amounted to the document being misrepresented and that the arbitration clause is therefore invalid.

Noel O'Callaghan's claims regarding the clause are denied by the defendants.