Case No. 1486Breach of contract (property dispute) · Co. Tipperary · 22 Aug 2023
Row breaks out in High Court over Magnier property dispute
A row broke out during a High Court hearing in John Magnier's case over a failed property deal for the 751-acre Barne Estate in Co Tipperary, when the defence claimed gallery members were nodding to a witness under cross-examination. The Magniers claim the estate reneged on an agreed deal, preferring to sell to US-based construction magnate Maurice Regan for €22.25 million.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court27 May
5 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports55 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe alleged sale price was €15 million for the 751-acre estate (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe estate is mostly fertile tillage land with a three-storey, 12-bedroom mansion modelled on a French chateau (irishtimes.com)
- whatJohn Magnier paid a €250,000 deposit and lodged the full amount with his solicitors (irishtimes.com)
- whatThomson-Moore plans to sell the estate to Maurice Regan for €22.5 million (irishtimes.com)
- whatJohn Magnier offered the Thomson-Moores €50,000 in cash in two envelopes on 7 September (irishtimes.com)
- whatMagnier and family are suing Richard Thomson-Moore and others over the purported sale of the Barne Estate (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe Barne Estate is 751 acres in Co Tipperary (irishtimes.com)
- whatOn the evening of 22 August, Thomson-Moore, his wife, and auctioneer John Stokes arrived at Coolmore House (irishtimes.com)
- whatAuctioneer John Stokes demanded €18 million for the Barne Estate (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe parties settled on a figure of €15 million (irishtimes.com)
- whatMagnier gave the Thomson-Moores €50,000 in cash for three reasons including allowing him to till the farm and their financial pressure (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe Barne Estate was adjoining two farms that Magnier owned (irishtimes.com)
- whatMagnier, his son John Paul Magnier and his daughter Katherine Wachman are suing Richard Thomson-Moore and three companies of IQEQ (Jersey) (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe Thomson-Moores accepted a competing offer of €22.25 million from American-based businessman Maurice Regan (irishtimes.com)
- whatMagnier shook hands with auctioneer John Stokes and the Thomson-Moores on the evening of 22 August (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe alleged deal was to sell the 751-acre estate to Magnier for €15 million. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe Thomson-Moores accepted a competing offer from US-based businessman Maurice Regan for €22.25 million. (irishtimes.com)
- whatOnly auctioneer John Stokes mentioned that the sale needed approval of trustees based in Jersey. (irishtimes.com)
- whatAfter adjourning to another room, the parties shook hands and Magnier believed outside parties had approved the deal. (irishtimes.com)
- whatMagnier said he assumed Thomson-Moore had authority to sell the farm. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe estate in dispute is 751 acres (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe estate was offered to Maurice Regan at a price of €22.25 million (irishtimes.com)
- whatAn exclusivity agreement was in effect from 31 August to 30 September 2023 (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe trial concerns the Barne Estate in Co Tipperary (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe alleged sale occurred on 22 August 2023 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe purported sale took place on the evening of 22 August 2023 (irishtimes.com)
- whenJohn Magnier gave evidence just after 3pm (irishtimes.com)
- whenMagnier visited the Barne Estate on 7 July 2023 (irishtimes.com)
- whenMagnier spoke with Stokes on 6 October (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe purported sale occurred on 22 August 2023 (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe Magnier side is suing Barne Estate, Richard Thomson-Moore, and three companies of IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd group (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe case is being heard at the Commercial Court (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is expected to last at least 13 days (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe case is being heard in Court 11 of the High Court before Mr Justice Max Barrett (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Max Barrett ordered the boxes be removed to let people sit down (irishtimes.com)
- courtMagnier gave evidence on the second day of the trial at the Commercial Court (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is being heard before Mr Justice Max Barrett (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe case is being heard in the Commercial Court in Dublin before Mr Justice Max Barrett. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Max Barrett is presiding over the case. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMaurice Regan is not a party to the case. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe case is being heard in the High Court before Mr Justice Max Barrett (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe estate has been in the Thomson-Moore family since the middle of the 17th century (irishtimes.com)
- otherMore than 150,000 original documents have been generated in the case (irishtimes.com)
- otherMaurice Regan is Kerry-born and US-based, and is a shareholder in the Mercantile Group which runs venues in Dublin (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe Thomson-Moores want to move to Australia for medical treatment for their son Teddy who has cerebral palsy (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe farm had been in the Thomson-Moore family since the mid-17th century (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe Thomson-Moores wanted to move to Australia for better medical treatment for their severely disabled son (irishtimes.com)
- otherMagnier has five children and 15 grandchildren (irishtimes.com)
- otherMagnier's bloodstock business covers 6,000 mares a year. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMagnier's businesses in the UK employ 18,000 people. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBarne Estate is held by a Jersey trust for the benefit of Richard Thomson-Moore and others (irishtimes.com)
- otherMaurice Regan is the founder of New York building firm JT Magen (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe defence claimed the nodding by gallery members happened on four occasions (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe witness under cross-examination was Tim Gleeson, a financial manager at Coolmore (irishtimes.com)
- otherJerome Casey, a senior Coolmore staff member who fronts property deals for Magnier, gave evidence (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 19 Jun2025Magnier case: Row breaks out in court over claims gallery members tried to communicate with witness
Article reports a courtroom row during the High Court hearing where the defence alleged gallery members were nodding to a witness; provides details of the property dispute including the €22.25 million price, the exclusivity agreement dates, and the parties involved.
victim, John Magnier, male, irish (judged from name)John Magniersuspect, Richard Thomson-Moore, male, named, irish (judged from name)Richard Thomson-Moore - 29 May2025‘I came here for protection’: John Magnier complains about ‘unfair’ treatment in court
Reports on the third day of the hearing where Magnier gave evidence, complained about cross-examination by senior counsel Martin Hayden, and described the alleged handshake deal, the role of auctioneer John Stokes, and the competing €22.25 million offer from Maurice Regan.
victim, John Magnier, male, irish (judged from name)John Magniervictim, John Paul Magnier, male, irish (judged from name)John Paul Magniervictim, Katherine Wachman, female, irish (judged from name)Katherine Wachmansuspect, Richard Thomson-Moore, male, named, irish (judged from name)Richard Thomson-Moore - 28 May2025John Magnier tells Barne Estate trial that money does not mean much to him except as a way ‘to keep score’
Second day of trial; Magnier testifies about the handshake deal at Coolmore, disputes being portrayed as the 'bad guy', and says the Thomson-Moores were 'misled by Mr Regan'.
victim, John Magnier, male, irish (judged from name)John Magniervictim, John Paul Magnier, male, irish (judged from name)John Paul Magniervictim, Katherine Wachman, female, irish (judged from name)Katherine Wachmanaccused, Richard Thomson-Moore, male, named, irish (judged from name)Richard Thomson-Moore - 27 May2025‘Disproportionate’ level of paperwork leaves little room for seating at John Magnier’s Barne Estate case
First article on this case; Magnier gave evidence at the High Court before Mr Justice Max Barrett, describing the handshake deal and the subsequent return of €50,000 in cash.
victim, John Magnier, male, irish (judged from name)John Magniersuspect, Richard Thomson-Moore, male, named, irish (judged from name)Richard Thomson-Mooresuspect, John Stokes, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Stokes - 27 May2025John Magnier’s case over alleged €15m Barne Estate sale begins today
Trial begins at the Commercial Court, expected to last at least 13 days; over 150,000 documents generated. Magnier claims a binding agreement was made at his Coolmore home; Thomson-Moore denies any sale took place.
victim, John Magnier, male, irish (judged from name)John Magniervictim, John Paul Magnier, male, irish (judged from name)John Paul Magniervictim, Katherine Wachman, femaleKatherine Wachmanaccused, Richard Thomson-Moore, male, named, irish (judged from name)Richard Thomson-Moore