The farm, which is conveniently located just off the M1 motorway at Heynestown, Dundalk, Co Louth, sold at auction recently in a number of different lots.

The farm is currently all in pasture, with a suckler and beef operation run on the farm by the previous owner. The farmhouse and the lands were the family home of the recently deceased owner for almost 80 years, having been purchased in 1941.

As the farm was somewhat fragmented, the option was presented to offer the farm in four separate lots as well as the entire.

It was to be the separate lots which garnered the interest on the day, with all four lots selling under the hammer.

The main lot consisted of circa 40 acres which also included the large farmhouse and an extensive array of farm buildings.

This parcel is laid out in six divisions and while the fields are predominantly large, a paddock grazing system could easily be installed. This lot sold on the day for €800,000.

The second lot consisted of circa 20 acres only 400m west of the main holding. Equipped with 230m of road frontage, this lot sold for €290,000.

The final two lots were smaller, however they still received good interest on the day. Lot three of circa 8.7 acres sold under the hammer for €152,000. This parcel has the added benefit of being zoned land, which may offer future potential.

The final lot of circa 6.5 acres is situated further away from the main holding than the previous two lots and had been mainly used for silage production in the past. It sold on the day for €95,000.

The property performed very well, achieving a price of €17,000/acre, however it did sell for below the original guide price of €1.45m.

Michael Lavelle Estate Agents, Dundalk, handled the sale.

Forestry surprises

A circa 50.5 acre parcel of forestry sold at auction recently for €475,000 or slightly over €9,400/acre.

This unique parcel at Beech Park, Murrintown, Co Wexford, came with a period residence dating back to the 1700s. Also incorporated in the package was a collection of stone outbuildings and a four-span hayshed with a lean-to. The house itself is a large three storey over-basement residence that has been unoccupied for a number of years and is in need of major refurbishment.

There were two active bidders on the day, with bidding opening at €450,000. Bids of €5,000 saw the price rise to €475,000, at which point the hammer dropped to a local businessman.

The property was originally guided at €450,000. The sale was handled by John Radford of Sherry FitzGerald Radford, New Ross.

Two out of two in Meath

Thomas Potterton of REA TE Potterton sold two parcels at auction recently. The first property consisted of a 17-acre residential property with an address at Stoneyford, Moyfeigher, Ballivor, Co Meath.

The land is laid out in four divisions and is bounded on one side by a river. The majority of the land is currently in pasture, with a small portion fallow. Bidding on the day opened at €80,000 with three active bidders quickly driving this up to €195,000. At this point it was placed on the market, with the hammer dropping to a local businessman at an average of €11,470/acre. A derelict cottage and a haybarn are in place on the farm. The cottage would make a good site for a replacement house, subject to planning.

Thomas also recently brought a circa 60-acre parcel to auction. With an address at Ballyfallon, Athboy, Co Meath this property was offered in two separate lots or the entire. The first lot of circa 53.5 acres received no interest on the day, however the second lot of circa 7 acres, located directly across the road from the larger block, received a bid of €60,000. It was the entire which gained the majority of the interest on the day, with an opening bid of €400,000. This was quickly bid up to €510,000, at which point it was withdrawn. Negotiations ensued after the sale with a deal being quickly struck for an undisclosed fee. Described as the best of land, it is presently in potatoes.