Thug Gilligan's €120k bungalow finally put up for sale by the CAB

Gilligan's dreams of becoming a country squire were shattered after his ill-gotten gains from years of drug trafficking were seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB).

In June, the Supreme Court rejected the thug's final attempt to hold onto the remaining houses in his portfolio, including a bungalow beside the Jessbrook equestrian centre at Mucklon, Enfield.

Seized

The equestrian centre, built by Gilligan, had already been seized and sold off by the bureau.

Last night, Fiachra McGrath, of Lucan auctioneers REA McDonald, said it had received instructions from the CAB to put the bungalow on the market in the coming week.

The detached property is on 5.6 acres and has a conservative guide price of €120,000.

It has seven bedrooms, four bathrooms and oil-fired central heating and, according to Mr McGrath, it offers "extensive views of rural landscape".

The property is expected to attract a lot of interest for viewing from potential buyers and sightseers, as the sale marks the end of a 20-year battle by Gilligan in the courts to prevent the bureau from seizing the assets.

The bungalow is currently the property of Finance and Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe, and the proceeds of the sale will be deposited in State coffers.

Another house seized from Gilligan, at Corduff, Blanchardstown, is expected to be sold to Dublin County Council, while a third house in Lucan, also under the control of the CAB, is currently being let to tenants.

Gilligan's wife, Geraldine, and daughter, Tracey, had lived at the Jessbrook bungalow, while his son, Darren, lived in the Blanchardstown house.

After the initial Supreme Court rejection in February, Gilligan asked for a two-year stay on the confiscation order, claiming he had no income and would be left homeless.

The 65-year-old said he was engaging with local authorities in an attempt to secure accommodation.

Murder

However, the court only granted him a three-month stay, which means he had to vacate the properties by early June.

Gilligan, who served 17 years for drug trafficking, has been hiding out at the Jessbrook house, as well as addresses in the UK, following two attempts to murder him since he was released from jail in 2013.

He served his jail sentence at Portlaoise prison and is believed to have been the leader of the gang responsible for the murder of Sunday Independent investigative journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996.