Gombeen - Seamus McEnaney
Banty McEnaney makes a fortune from the Irish immigration schemes much to the detriment of the Irish people. Send Banty back to his Shanty.
Who is Séamus "Banty" McEnaney?
Séamus "Banty" McEnaney is a well-known Irish businessman and former Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) football manager from Monaghan, Ireland. Born around 1968, he is recognized for his tenure as manager of the Monaghan senior football team (2004–2010 and 2019–2022), as well as managing Meath and Wexford teams. McEnaney led Monaghan to a National Football League Division 2 title in 2005 and an Ulster Championship final in 2007, earning a strong local reputation. Beyond GAA, he is a prominent hotelier and property owner, notably operating the Westenra Arms Hotel in Monaghan town. His business ventures, particularly in providing accommodation for asylum seekers and refugees, have drawn significant attention and controversy.How Does Banty McEnaney and His Family Make Money from Irish Immigration Schemes?Séamus McEnaney and 14 members of his extended family have earned substantial income through multiple companies by providing accommodation for asylum seekers and refugees, primarily under contracts with the Irish Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Below is a detailed breakdown based on available information:
Scale of Earnings: Since 2020, companies owned by McEnaney and his family have been paid over €130 million by the State for housing asylum seekers and refugees, particularly Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. This includes:
Brimwood Ltd/Brimwood UC: McEnaney’s primary company, Brimwood Ltd (re-registered as Brimwood Unlimited Company in 2020), received €83.1 million from 2020 to September 2023, including €28.9 million in the first nine months of 2023 alone for housing refugees across eight properties in Monaghan, Meath, Louth, Cavan, and Dublin (e.g., Westenra Arms Hotel, Dún Na Rí House Hotel, with a combined capacity of 496 in 2020). In 2021, Brimwood received €15.78 million, the highest amount paid to any single company that year for asylum seeker accommodation.
Family-Owned Companies: An additional €50 million was paid to firms controlled by 14 McEnaney family members between April 2022 and September 2023. Specific examples include:
Oakgate Ltd: Wholly owned by McEnaney’s sister Margaret McCarville, received €9.8 million by September 2023.
JMA Ventures: Also owned by Margaret McCarville, received €7.5 million by September 2023.
Corduff JG Enterprises Ltd: Owned by McEnaney’s son Gavin, received €9.2 million by September 2023, with €1.5 million in remuneration to Gavin in 2022.
Longfield Ventures Ltd: Jointly owned by McEnaney’s son John and nephew Gary, received €7.6 million between April 2022 and September 2023.
Rosscorp Ltd: Owned by nephew Conor McEnaney, received €4.5 million by September 2023.
Highgrove Property Ltd: Quarter-owned by McEnaney’s son John and nephew Gary, received €3.03 million in the first nine months of 2023.
Copperwhistle Ltd: Owned by McEnaney’s sister-in-law Mary, with brother Frank and nephew Cahal as directors, received €1.6 million between April 2022 and September 2023.
Foxstrand Ltd: Owned by nephews Dylan and Kian McEnaney, received €769,080 from October 2022 to September 2023.
Brother Baghin Ltd: Owned by John and Gary McEnaney, received €2.77 million from January to September 2023.
Total Payments: Some sources estimate the family’s total earnings could be as high as €225 million by 2025, though this figure is not fully substantiated and may include 2024 payments not yet detailed.
Nature of Contracts: These payments stem from Ireland’s Direct Provision system (pre-2020 under the Department of Justice, post-2020 under the Department of Integration) and contracts for housing Ukrainian refugees under the EU Temporary Protection Directive. The McEnaney family’s companies provide accommodation in hotels, guesthouses, and other properties, primarily in Monaghan and surrounding counties. The system has been criticized for its reliance on private providers, with the McEnaneys dominating as top earners due to their extensive property portfolio.
Additional Ventures: Beyond refugee accommodation, McEnaney’s Brimwood UC sought planning permission in 2024–2025 to convert 15 Usher’s Island, Dublin (the setting of James Joyce’s The Dead), into apartments, though the plan was scaled back from ten to six units after council concerns. This property was occupied by anti-immigration protesters in 2024, highlighting McEnaney’s controversial role in immigration-related activities. He expressed willingness to sell the property to the government or Arts Council for cultural use.
Tax and Financial Controversies:
In 2018, the Westenra Arms Hotel, co-owned by McEnaney, settled a €2.5 million tax bill with Revenue Commissioners for under-declaring PAYE, PRSI, USC, and VAT.
In 2019, McEnaney personally settled a €171,000 tax bill, and his brother Francis settled €43,494, both related to a hotel investment in Monaghan.
A Revenue investigation into Corvalley Enterprises (linked to McEnaney and family members) resulted in a settlement for under-declared taxes, Temptation to sell items or all of them.
Public Criticism: The McEnaney family’s earnings have sparked significant backlash. Social media posts on X, such as by
@Mick_O_Keeffe
, label McEnaney a “migrant plantation slumlord” and accuse him of “selling out Ireland” for €160,000 daily, reflecting public anger over profiteering from taxpayer funds during a housing crisis. Reddit posts call the payments a “scandalous transfer of taxpayers’ money,” with one user noting McEnaney’s €1.5 million driveway as evidence of extravagant wealth. Critics argue the family exploits a mismanaged system, with 41% of parents reportedly eating less to feed their children while such sums are paid to private providers.
Immigration Stance: While McEnaney’s personal views on immigration are not explicitly documented, his involvement in anti-immigration protests at 15 Usher’s Island (occupied by the “Independent Minds” group) and the family’s wealth from asylum accommodation have fueled perceptions of hypocrisy, though no direct anti-immigration statements are attributed to him.
