LEOPARDS don't change their spots. But corrupt financiers don't either -- and this generation is by no means alone in rolling out its rogue traders.

I am indebted for the following details to Enneclann, the award-winning TCD campus company -- a key source for Irish genealogy and house history research.

"In researching one house history in Killiney, we came across the story of Francis DuBédat, former president of the Irish Stock Exchange, who embezzled his clients, and then went on the run to Africa," Fiona Fitzsimons, of Enneclann, relates.

Francis was born in 1851, the son of William George DuBédat, one of the founding members of the Dublin Stock Exchange.

In 1872, Francis DuBédat married Rosa, the daughter of Samuel Waterhouse, another stockbroker on the panel of the Dublin Stock Exchange. The young couple immediately moved to Killiney.

In 1889, at the height of his renown, Francis DuBédat purchased a granite mansion in the same area and set about remodelling the house as Killiney's largest, grandest and highest mansion. For two years, the house was gutted and massively extended.

"When the house was finally completed, in the winter of 1890, it was estimated that DuBédat had spent more than £7,000 on his new mansion -- a vast sum of money at that time," the House History expert comments.

The main building had 32 rooms, 49 front windows and eight separate outbuildings, which were of equal architectural note to the house itself. The outbuildings had copper- plated roofs, dormer and first floor windows and enclosed courtyard.

The plans for the stables were exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy and reviewed in the Irish Builder.

"The external description of 'Frankfort' did not tell the whole story of the dwelling's luxuries and refinements, which included electricity throughout and a central heating system in the principal rooms supplied via hot water pipes, both of which were unheard of in even the grandest Irish houses at the time," Ms Fitzsimons continues.

"However, the extravagant nature of the house proved to be at a huge personal as well as financial cost to Francis DuBédat, and the house was known in the locality as DuBédat's Folly."

By the end of 1890, Francis DuBédat, by now the president of the Irish Stock Exchange, had amassed debts of more than £100,000. Some of this debt was used for financing the house renovation, but much of it was used to fund his extravagant lifestyle.

"DuBédat gambled with his clients' money, sold their stocks and shares and took the proceeds for himself on the gamble that the stock market was about to boom," the historian reveals.

"His gamble failed when the stock market crashed at the beginning of 1891, leaving DuBédat ruined.

"He fled the country, but was eventually arrested in Capetown, South Africa, and was brought back to Ireland to stand trial. Charged with fraud and offences against the Debtors Act, DuBédat was sentenced to one year's hard labour and seven years penal servitude."

What a Prime Time special that one would have made if technology allowed in those days! For us today, the fact that Mr DuB got his comeuppance is stark proof that white-collar crime hasn't always paid.

With US Ponzi-scheme fraudster Bernard Madoff now banged up, will any disgraced Irish financier ultimately follow in his footsteps -- or will they live happily ever after on their inflated bonuses/pension funds?

Founded in 1998, Enneclann has now completed around 400 house histories from every county in the Republic.

The Irish company -- based at Unit 1B, Trinity Enterprise Centre, Pearse St Dublin 2 -- has likewise researched for the hugely popular Who Do You Think You Are TV series.

The above story is just one of the many compelling tales unearthed so far. It all goes to show what stories walls can tell when they can be made to talk -- and the Enneclann researchers are adept at doing exactly that.

"There is only so much one can do with a house built in the 20th century," Fiona Fitzsimons comments.

"But we can really get our teeth into houses dating back into the 19th century or before.

"The longest house history we have compiled so far ran to some 50 pages -- that was on Ballymascanlon House. And the oldest property we researched dates back to around 1475 and included the remains of an old tower house."

It costs just €45 for an initial House History assessment, with finished reports priced from €475.

Just telephone Enneclann at 01- 6710338.