Meath GAA legend owes bank €850k

Legendary Meath footballer and current RTE GAA pundit, Colm O’Rourke, has a debt of over €850,000 to settle with National Irish Bank.

The secondary school principal has been taken to the High Court by the bank in a bid to have him repay a loan for a failed property investment.

O’Rourke became involved in a consortium a few years ago with three local businessmen to develop a shopping centre, 375 houses and apartments, a pub, restaurant, nursing home and crèche just outside Navan.

The loan totals €3.5m and each of the men involved owe €853,463, the Irish Independent reports.

O’Rourke said he was “surprised” NIB went public about the judgment and said that he and his associates had an understanding with the bank.

"They got the judgment last year but we had an agreement it wouldn't be published for a period of time during which negotiations would continue about repaying the loan," he said.

"A substantial offer was made to the bank and those negotiations were continuing.

"Everybody was negotiating with the bank to repay the money so it is a surprise to us that this has been published."