Dublin's most famous stage school Billie Barry may be forced to find a new home as the owners of its premises is looking to sell up.
The stage school, famed for its performances on the Late Late Toy Show and training some of Ireland's well known entertainers, has been based in Fairview, North Dublin for decades.
But the owner of the property Sean Giffney plans to sell the Philipsburgh Avenue building as well as the adjacent pitch and putt club lands for €3.5 million as he is losing money every year on its upkeep.
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Speaking to the Irish Times, he said: "I'm very sad to have to do it, but we have continued to operate at a loss for the past number of years.
"The rent from the Billie Barry school and the montessori falls short of what it takes to keep the place going every year by about 25%."
Recently Mr Giffney refurbished the bar in the CYMC club that the Billie Barry school operates out of.
Due to opposition from local residents he was unable to seek a licence to re-open it.
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He continued: "That would have given an income that could have made the building viable. It would have been a place for local people to meet up, or somewhere to get tea and a sandwich after a game of pitch and putt."
Dublin City Council have also said they have issued a legal letter to Mr Giffney over the sale of the pitch and putt lands.
The course is on a long-term lease for the next 64 years, and the council says that any sale needs its approval.
