The house on Dublin’s Navan Road was placed on the market last week, as ex-Sinn Féin councillor Dowdall comes towards the end of his prison sentence for his role in the Regency Hotel murder.
Following his release, Dowdall will be placed under witness protection and relocated to a new country with a new name and identity and told to cut all ties with Ireland.
Kitchen in the stunning home
His house, described as “wonderfully presented and in turn-key condition”, has been put up for sale to help fund Dowdall’s new life.
On a property website, the four-bed house is described as an “oriental inspired haven, perfect for entertaining or a relaxing escape”.
But despite the chilled-out ambience described by the real estate agents, images from inside the home show some of the places that featured heavily during the murder trial of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch.
A huge fish-pond can be seen in a covered area at the back of the home where Dowdall indulged his expensive hobby of collecting oriental fish such as koi.
When the house was raided in 2016 as part of the Regency probe, a Garda Diving Unit searched the pond for firearms.
Picturesque back garden
Photographs of the kitchen, where Dowdall met an innocent man who he believed was trying to scam him, can also be seen on the property website.
After meeting in the kitchen in January 2015, Dowdall blindfolded Alex Hurley and brought him to the garage before water-boarding him and threatening to have him killed during an eight-hour torture session.
In the brochure, the kitchen is described as having “plenty of natural light and additional worktop space, perfect for all of your culinary needs.
Bathroom in the house
“A spacious garage provides secure parking for your vehicles and additional storage space, along with a home office space or can be used as an additional living room.”
Dowdall is currently approaching the end of a four-year sentence he received for facilitating the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel.
A giant fish tank in the luxury home
He has been kept in a high-security unit by the Irish Prison Service to protect him from the Hutch or Kinahan factions.
Following his release, likely to be next year, he will join a small group of people in the Witness Security Programme, which remains shrouded in secrecy.
There are probably just a few dozen people on the programme, which would also include the likes of Charles Bowden and Russell Warren, who gave evidence against John Gilligan.
The programme is run by An Garda Síochána, who would have agreements with forces in other jurisdictions and is likely to see foreign protected witnesses setting up a new life in Ireland.
Under the guidelines for the Witness Protection Programme, Dowdall will be set up by the Irish State in a foreign country with the same means he had here.
The home contains a den
Dowdall was first named in connection with the investigation into the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel murder, effectively by himself, after he went onto Joe Duffy’s Liveline to complain about his home being raided by gardaí in 2016.
He told Joe: “The house was raided under Section 9 as being a suspected member of the IRA and they were in search of firearms and explosives.
“I don’t know why that is, it was a complete shock to me. The first I seen and knew of it was a lot of armed Guards coming to the house… and they didn’t burst through the door and then I was held at gunpoint in the house.”
Bedroom in the house
He also describes gardaí searching his fish tank – which he insisted he had built himself.
“I was always fascinated by fish; it’s a hobby. I’m actually good at keeping them.”
During the interview, Dowdall insisted he was not involved in criminal activity – though he did admit he knew the Hutch family.
“I’ve no links or connections to criminality or any crime organisations in any shape or form.”
Like many claims Dowdall made in the public arena, this would prove untrue.
The property contains a fish pond
The then-Dublin City councillor had just recently been involved in a savage and brutal crime which would shortly come to court.
During the raid, gardaí seized a USB key from Dowdall’s home which contained a video of the torture of Alex Hurley.
The footage showed Dowdall wearing a balaclava and holding a tea-towel to the man’s face before pouring water over his head.
Dowdall’s father, Patrick Dowdall, was heard threatening to pull off Mr Hurley’s fingers one-by-one with a pliers.
Mr Hurley’s wrists, chest and legs were tied to the chair with cable ties. Mr Hurley told gardaí he was “petrified” and Jonathan Dowdall called him “a lying b**tard from the sewer”.
Gardai at the home of Jonathan Dowdall in March 2016
Jonathan Dowdall was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment and Patrick Dowdall eight years imprisonment in June, 2017.
During the Regency trial, the ex-politician was repeatedly quizzed about how he could afford such a luxurious and expensive home as an electrician.
Dowdall claimed he bought his first house in his early twenties with money he saved and the proceeds of a compensation claim.
Dowdall would continue to insist he had no connection with organised crime in the Special Criminal Court – despite admitting to playing a role in the Regency Hotel murder plot.
Sitting room in the house
Both Jonathan and Patrick Dowdall pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, for that criminal organisation.
Under cross-examination, Dowdall admitted being reckless in booking a hotel room for the Hutch clan but continued to insist he did not know it was to be used to target their rivals.