Terry was Ger’s best friend/confidante and Terry has connections to other clerics in the RCC including Richard Purcell.
Terry alleges that a sum of money greater than 17k was given to Ger Fitzgerald by a certain private wealthy benefactor.
The money was supposed to be used for a specific purpose which Terry has not revealed.
Karen found the bank slip belonging to Fr Ger in March of this year and immediately informed Bishop Fintan and Cleo. The date on the bank slip was July 16, 2021, and showed a balance of c. 17,700 euros.
Terry has checked his records and he claims the the 17k in Ger’s account corresponds to the balance of the original amount that was given to Ger by a private benefactor which implies that the difference was spent.
Was it spent on what it was intended for?
We do not know.
Terry claims that if Ger was using the money for his own personal use then that is fraud.
Apparently the private benefactor does not wish to be identified as he/she does not want anyone hounding him/her for money.
After Cleo Yates and Bishop Fintan were told about the bank slip and questioned Ger, he claimed it was savings (see email from Cleo).
CLEO’S EMAIL TO KAREN
This is a lie. Fintan came to Sixmilebridge to speak with Terry about the matter. Terry did not reveal the benefactor’s name to Fintan.
Someone wrote a cryptic msg to Fr Todd on yesterdays blog mentioning a benefactor and “Lake View”.
Is Lake View a property that Ger perhaps was looking to purchase? Ger talked to me on a few occasions about his desire to purchase his own house/cottage. He had his eye on one cottage in Castleconnell which he took me and Terry to see.
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Unanswered questions:
Has the Gardai questioned Ger about the money in his account?
Did Ger reveal the benefactor’s name to the guards?
Why did Ger lie to Cleo and Fintan and tell them that the 17k was savings?
This happened before the Bishop met with Terry.
Has the money been returned to the anonymous benefactor?
Does Fintan know who the benefactor is?
Did Ger use the money for his own personal use?
Where are the receipts for the benefactor’s money that was spent before the discovery of the 17k still left in Fitzgerald’s account?
PAT SAYS
So, the € 17,700 was part of the money an anonymous benefactor gave to Ger to complete a project?
What project?
If € 17 700 was what was left over after the mystery project was completed, how much was the original sum – € 35,000; € 50,000 or more?
And of the project was completed why was the € 17,700, plus receipts not returned to the benefactor?
Did the benefactor tell Ger – “Keep the change”?
In any event we are talking here about substantial five figure sums and openness and clarity are required
FINTAN AT THE GALWAY RACES
I Hope he wasn’t betting € 17,700 on that old nag FATHER GER 😀
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 