As the UK entered the last 24-hours before the General Election, it has emerged that the controversial owner of the so-called 'Bog Hotel' in Co Donegal has said he will run as an Independent in the Donegal South West bye-election.

Patsy Brogan, who recently overcame a court challenge by Donegal County Council to close the out-house premises on planning grounds, said hundreds of people have asked him to run.

He said he believes he will win the seat vacated by Fianna Fáil's Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher on his election as an MEP. However, the 72-year-old would not expand on his election policies.

He said he would keep quiet until two weeks or a month before the election and then he said he would 'make a lot of noise'.

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Mr Brogan's 29-year-old Polish partner, Daria, said Patsy knew what he was doing and it was a wise decision.

In March, Mr Brogan was acquitted of two charges under the planning acts relating to a shed, which he has converted into a bar at his house near Frosses.

Patsy Brogan said the bar is for private use, and while he welcomes callers, he insists he does not charge for drink.

At Donegal District Court earlier this year, Judge Kevin Kilraine said there was no evidence anybody was being charged money at the bar.

He said the shed had been converted to look like a bar and lounge and added "he just might like the idea of looking at it as a bar and lounge, many people have bars with bar stools in the basements of their homes".

A Council executive said there had been a complaint in June 2007 of planning irregularities and when he inspected the shed in October of that year he saw the shed turned into a 60 square meter bar with optics, a full bar and seating with tables, mirrors, pictures and other pub items on the walls.

Judge Kilraine said that what Mr Smith saw was a shed fitted out as a bar but there was no evidence it was used as a bar.

"What law is there that he can't drink with his family in the shed?" he asked, acquitting the accused in March.

(BMcC/GK)