Carroll often featured in the media despite his reclusive manner while his relatively frugal and reserved behaviour contrasted markedly with other public figures and property developers of the era.
[2] Carroll became well known during the Celtic Tiger years of the late 1990s-2007 for residential and commercial property construction projects with a focus on large scale apartment developments in Dublin city centre.
His apartments were notable for their high volume, low price point and small floor plan which appealed to younger owner occupiers and the less well-off sections of society.
This reputation earned Carroll the sobriquet of the Shoebox King from his detractors, including most notably the Irish Times journalist Frank McDonald, while his supporters emphasised the affordability of the apartments, the rejuvenation of previously downtrodden areas and the effect of bringing young people back into the city centre.
Zoe group companies became unable to repay bank borrowings of a reported €1.3bn and in summer 2009 requested Examinership as protection from their creditors, including ACCBank who were the first to seek a winding up order.