Law & Justice

Repossession Case Against Former Ireland Rugby Player Shane Horgan Struck Out

By Ronald Quinlan, Ray Managh

Former Ireland rugby international Shane Horgan had a court case brought against him for the repossession of his Dublin 8 house struck out after the mortgage arrears were cleared. Pepper Finance Corporation had sued Horgan in July, seeking possession of the John Dillon Street property in Christchurch, citing arrears of €8,889.07. Barrister Shaula Connaughton‑Deeny, representing Pepper Finance and instructed by RDJ Solicitors, informed Dublin county registrar Patricia Hickey in the Circuit Civil Court that the arrears had been paid and the case could be dismissed. Hickey, acting on Pepper Finance’s application, struck out the repossession proceedings and declined to order any legal costs. Horgan, who also played for Leinster and the British and Irish Lions, had previously failed to appear in court to contest the bank’s bid to recover the property. Pepper Finance had attempted to serve Horgan with the possession proceedings by registered post, but the letter was returned by An Post as “not called for”. The civil bill, opened to Hickey, alleged that Pepper Finance had taken over Irish Life and Permanent TSB’s €675,000 loan granted to Horgan on 1 June 2006, and was seeking to recover the property or full repayment of the now‑outstanding total debt of €684,664. The bank claimed Horgan had defaulted on mortgage repayments amounting to €8,889, and that the property was registered to him on 12 May 2011 with a condition that the debt would become immediately repayable if he missed two monthly repayments. The civil bill stated that a letter dated 23 January 2025 demanded Horgan deliver possession within seven days, and that he failed to do so, prompting the bank to seek possession proceedings. The proceedings have now been discontinued.