A DISPUTE over ownership of a strip of land beside the homes of RTÉ broadcaster Pat Kenny and his neighbour blew up, involving physical confrontation.
This occurred soon after Mr Kenny had voiced fears of possible attempts to develop properties in what he called "our enclave" in Dalkey, Co Dublin, the High Court heard yesterday.
Retired solicitor Gerard Charlton (73), who claims to be the owner of a 0.2 acre strip of land at the centre of the dispute, claims there was a confrontation in July 2006 after Mr Kenny refused him a code to gain access to a gate to the property.
He claims Mr Kenny jostled and barred him from entering the property while Mr Kenny claims he was assaulted when the gate to the property was banged shut on his hand.
Eoghan Fitzsimons SC, for Mr Charlton, said Mr Kenny (60) had made a number of "outrageous" remarks - which are to be detailed in evidence by Mr Charlton - during the alleged confrontation.
Mr Kenny also used concerns about the safety of his two daughters as "weapons" in the dispute by linking them to incidents in which he was targeted by stalker Paul Stokes both at his home and at work, Mr Fitzsimons said.
The hearing of the dispute, which is expected to last four weeks, opened yesterday and will involve trial judge Ms Justice Maureen Clark visiting the lands at Gorse Hill, Dalkey, Co Dublin.
Mr Charlton and his wife Maeve claim they own the property, described by Mr Fitzsimons as "an urban wilderness" of scenic value to them, but valued on the market at between €1 million and € 2million, or more, if acquired by Mr Kenny whose home runs the length of the site.
Mr Kenny and his wife Kathy, who were in court yesterday, have counter-claimed that they are the owners by virtue of adverse possession or squatters' rights obtained between 1991 and 2003.
They claim it is part of their garden. This is denied by the Charltons.
The court was told the Charltons will say Mr Kenny repeatedly asked them over the years to sell Gorse Hill to him to such an extent that it became "a bit of a joke."
Opening the case, Mr Fitzsimons said the Charltons bought their home, Maple Tree House, in 1971 and as part of that purchase acquired Gorse Hill.
The Kennys bought an adjoining property called the Anchorage in 1988 and later built a new house (also called Anchorage) on part of the site.
Mr Fitzsimons said the Kennys and the Charltons became very good neighbours, getting on "like a house on fire". The Kennys socialised with the Charltons, visited them at Christmas and sent them cards signed "with love from Pat and Kathy".
Mr Kenny would regularly visit them without phoning first and, on occasion, even walk into their home without knocking, Mr Fitzsimons said.
Mr Kenny and Mr Charlton regularly chatted with each other when they met while out walking.
The Kenny and Charlton children also got on well together and the Kennys were also friendly with their other neighbours, the McMahons, who were the Charltons' daughter and son-in-law.
Mr Kenny over the years got advice from Mr Charlton's son-in- law, Corry McMahon, an auctioneer, in relation to property matters, Mr Fitzsimons said.
When Mr Charlton got ill in 1998 and underwent heart by-pass surgery, Mr Kenny visited him and gave him five or six books.