Victory Christian Fellowship
In 1996 Kilmacud house was purchased by the Victory Christian Fellowship. This independent
church, led by pastor Brendan Hade, acquired the building and surrounding grounds as an
investment property. Initially Kilmacud house was used to house asylum seekers generating
€16 million paid to Victory by the State over a 10 year period. Followers were encouraged to
pay ‘a tithe’ - 10% of their earnings and Victory received more than €1m a year in donations.
By claiming tax back on these donations via the donators PAYE/PRSI, VCF was also getting
€150,000 to €250,000 in refunds from Revenue every year as they had charitable status.
Their church was at Westland Row and in 2006 they borrowed to build a new prayer centre
at Firhouse Road, Tallaght on a site that they had purchased in 1998. The financial crash
scuppered the plan to sell Kilmacud House and the church’s original building in Westland Row
following the move to Firhouse in 2009.
Grant Thornton the receivers were sent in to take possession of Kilmacud House and their two
other properties in 2013 with the VCF owing 18.7 million to Bank of Scotland. They were
blocked by staff and some of the congregation. The judge ordered that the trustees be
tracked down by Gardai as they failed to appear in court and had ignored court orders.
The receivers put the properties on the market. Firhouse is now the Church of Scientology’s
Dublin centre. Kilmacud House was snapped up by Macium DAC on behalf of the Avestus-
Realta partnership in March 2017 for €2.8 million.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - March 2017
Return to Kilmacud House page
In 1996 Kilmacud house was purchased by the Victory Christian Fellowship. This independent
church, led by pastor Brendan Hade, acquired the building and surrounding grounds as an
investment property. Initially Kilmacud house was used to house asylum seekers generating
€16 million paid to Victory by the State over a 10 year period. Followers were encouraged to
pay ‘a tithe’ - 10% of their earnings and Victory received more than €1m a year in donations.
By claiming tax back on these donations via the donators PAYE/PRSI, VCF was also getting
€150,000 to €250,000 in refunds from Revenue every year as they had charitable status.
Their church was at Westland Row and in 2006 they borrowed to build a new prayer centre
at Firhouse Road, Tallaght on a site that they had purchased in 1998. The financial crash
scuppered the plan to sell Kilmacud House and the church’s original building in Westland Row
following the move to Firhouse in 2009.
Grant Thornton the receivers were sent in to take possession of Kilmacud House and their two
other properties in 2013 with the VCF owing 18.7 million to Bank of Scotland. They were
blocked by staff and some of the congregation. The judge ordered that the trustees be
tracked down by Gardai as they failed to appear in court and had ignored court orders.
The receivers put the properties on the market. Firhouse is now the Church of Scientology’s
Dublin centre. Kilmacud House was snapped up by Macium DAC on behalf of the Avestus-
Realta partnership in March 2017 for €2.8 million.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - March 2017
Return to Kilmacud House page