Auction results : Over €12,100/acre given in Roscommon

By Shirley Busteed

Selling agent James Cleary & Sons, Castlerea, successfully sold two of the four lots that belong to a 13.8-hectare (34-acre) farm at Willsgrove, Ballintubber, Co Roscommon, at last week's auction. The remaining two lots sold immediately after auction. A two-storey house, in need of repair, with outbuildings on 1.2 acres was knocked down at €87,000; 8.75 acres eventually sold for €106,000 (€12,120/acre) to a neighbouring farmer; 22 acres of what is described as "top land", was withdrawn at €170,000 but sold afterwards for a considerably higher figure and finally, 2.2 acres without any planning was withdrawn at €50,000 but sold after auction for almost double the withdrawal price.

123 acres in Co Clare fetches over €1.25 million

Auctioneer Paddy Darmody from Sherry FitzGerald McMahon, Ennis, offered almost 50 hectares (123 acres) for sale in four separate lots at public auction last week. The farm, which is set out in four independent blocks and some distance apart, sold for a combined total of €1,251,500.

The first lot comprising almost 77 acres sold after two rounds of bidding for E535,000 (E6,948/acre). This parcel is a mix of lowlying to good grazing. Set out in one block, the land had been let out over the past number of years.

The second lot of 37 acres sold under the hammer for €540,000 to a solicitor acting in trust. This lot comes with an old slatted shed and a barn.

The next lot of 8.75 acres situated between Liscannor and Lahinch, comes with expansive seaside views but has no planning potential. After going on the market at E110,000, a new bidder entered the race and drove the sale price to E175,000, at which stage the hammer fell. The property was purchased on behalf of a group of Limerick-based business people. This parcel comes with 200 metres of frontage to the beach.

0.8 acres for just €1,500

The final parcel of 0.8 acres of small fields that are split by a road, went under the hammer for €1,500. Described as "poor summer grazing", it was purchased by a local farmer/businessman.

12 acres near Kilmailey makes €146,000

Elsewhere, the same agent handled the sale of a 12-acre parcel situated four miles from Ennis on the Kilmailey road. Approximately five acres of this comprises a worked shale quarry; the remainder is grazing and meadowing. A local builder secured the sale at €146,000.

Co Offaly 48-acre holding makes a shade under €1M

Over 60 people attended the auction of a 19.4-hectare (48-acre) residential holding at Glebe House, Ballycumber road, Ferbane, Co Offaly, last week, which materialised into a successful affair for the vendor, who celebrated his birthday on the same day. The property sold in three separate divisions for a combined total of €997,000.

The first parcel comprising a four-bedroom rectory standing on 18 acres opened at €400,000 and proceeded to €480,000, at which stage it was put on the market. Selling agent Peter Scully, GVM, Tullamore, later dropped the hammer at €525,000 - the purchaser is understood to be a local businessman. This parcel is currently in grass and has frontage to the main road and a country road. The rectory dates back to 1818 and is in need of extensive refurbishment.

The second lot of 15 acres, situated directly across the road, was purchased by a farmer, residing eight to 10 miles away, for €270,000 (E18,000/acre). This parcel is set out in one 15-acre field and is currently under corn. Finally, the remaining 15 acres, also one field, located a mile away at Coole, went under the hammer for E202,000 (E13,466/acre), bought by a businessman from outside the area, believed to be involved in building.

110-acre farm in Co Meath snapped up at €1.67M

The sale of a 44.5-hectare (110-acre) tillage and grass farm at Drinadaly, Trim, Co Meath, attracted widespread inquiries from Kildare, North Co Dublin and Westmeath, in addition to strong local interest, which escalated as the auction day approached. However, amidst a reasonably large attendance, three serious bidders - a local farmer, a businessperson from Co Meath and an outsider, all battled hard to secure a sale. Selling agent Thomas Potterton, Trim, opened the bidding at E700,000 and moved in E25,000 bids to E1.4 million, at which stage the farm was put on the market. One of the bidders, a local farmer, dropped out of the race, and the remaining two contenders slowly but surely moved the sale price to E1.67 million (E15,181/acre). The selling agent dropped the hammer to Fergus Dixon, who is involved in the quarry business as well as having a farming interest.

Set out in one 110-acre block, the farm has been in tillage for a long number of years and was part of a larger operation prior to the sale. With the exception of 13 acres in grass, the land is currently in spring cereals, set out in five large divisions.

24-acre field near Delvin now making €230,000

Meanwhile, the same agent is also handling the sale of a 24-acre field located at Sheepstown, Delvin, Co Westmeath. After opening at E120,000, the property was later withdrawn at €192,000; the highest bidder is a local farmer. It is understood that the land is currently making E230,000 and a guide in excess of E250,000 is quoted. Situated just a mile off the main Delvin to Kells road, the land is described as a "nice parcel".

Over €9,200/acre given near Kells

A 13.6-hectare (33.5-acre) parcel of land at Saraghstown, Crossakiel, Kells, Co Meath, attracted a total of four active bidders - one adjoining farmer and three outsiders - at last week's public auction. The land, which is situated a mile in a shared laneway off the Kells to Castlepollard road, opened at €225,000 and proceeded to €290,000, at which stage selling agent Sherry FitzGerald Armstrong, Kells, put the property on the market. A man living close to Mullingar later secured the sale at €310,000 (E9,254/acre). Located two miles from Crosskiel village, the land is ready for silage harvesting and comes with "little or no waste". The property also has the remains of a residence and a few outbuildings.