Wacko Towers: we find the ideal spot for Jacko.

(From Irish Independent)

Michael Jackson is rumoured to be scouting for a getaway home in Ireland. Damian Corless goes property hunting

After his acquittal on child molestation charges in California a year ago, Michael Jackson wanted to be alone.

He exiled himself far from the madding crowd on an island in the Persian Gulf, as guest of the Crown Prince of Bahrain. Not to be outranked, he brought along two princes of his own - his sons Prince Michael I and Prince Michael II - together with his daughter Paris Michael.

This week Jackson's handlers announced that he's to leave Bahrain, but not to return to the USA where the latest multi-million lawsuit against him began on Wednesday, this time over a contractual dispute.

Hostility towards him in the States goes way beyond the writs of peeved business partners. Last year he released a greatest hits package which struggled to No 128 on the Billboard chart. It was a slap in the face from the American public to a man who spent 37 weeks at No 1 in the US with hisThriller album.

This week Jackson's people said he's to move to 'Europe'. As this announcement went out, Jackson and his family were in Ireland, although their exact whereabouts have been a mystery. After flying into Cork last weekend, the star had been touted to join Bob Dylan in concert, but the only performance from Jackson has been in the guise of the elusive Pimpernel.