€11,400/acre in Kilkenny

Around 80 people turned up to last week’s auction of a 72-acre non-residential farm at Ballycurran and Rahora, New Ross, Co Kilkenny. This was one of the first major auctions in the region for a number of years and consequently commanded a lot of passing interest. Selling agent Anne Carton from PN O’Gorman, New Ross, initially put the property up in two separate lots that included 54 acres which was bid to €520,000 while the remaining 18 acres went to €180,000. With that, the entire opened at €700,000 and four bids later the sale price arrived at €800,000. With just two bidders in contention, another €20,000 secured the sale at €820,000. The buyers were neighbouring farmers while the underbidder was an accountant acting in trust.

Rented out for the past three years, the land is currently in stubble and grass and is described as “excellent high, dry ground”. With spectacular views of the countryside, the property is only a 10-minutes drive from the M9 motorway (Dublin/Waterford) at Mullinavat and was guided in the regions of €720,000 prior to auction.

Well-located block of land in east Meath goes to auction

Selling agent Padraig Sherry from Sherry FitzGerald Sherry, Dunshaughlin, is set to auction a well-located 41-acre non-residential farm at Lagore Big, Ratoath, Co Meath, next week. Currently in old pasture, the land is south facing, is well sheltered with good mature hedgerows and has about 108 metres of frontage at two different points to the Lagore Road. Within a few minutes’ drive of both Ratoath and Dunshaughlin, the property is laid out in four nice divisions and water is supplied to the land from a mains line.

The land also benefits from access to 118 acres of commonage on which the new owner will have shared grazing rights to 1/28th. The property goes to auction next Wednesday 26 April in Tattersalls Ireland, Ratoath, at 3pm. A guide in the region of €500,000 is quoted.

Lovely 28.5-acre block in Meath makes €280,000

A lovely 28.5-acre parcel of land at Cloran and Corcullentry, Athboy, Co Meath, sold under the hammer for over €9,800/acre at last week’s public auction. Just three miles from Athboy town, the land is set out in a single block of three attractive fields and is without waste.

At the auction, selling agent Thomas Potterton, Trim, opened the bidding at €220,000 which moved in a range of €10,000, €5,000 and €1,000 increments all the way to €260,000. After a short recess to consult with the vendors, Thomas invited further offers before putting the property on the market at €280,000 (€9,800/acre). With no further movement, the hammer quickly fell at €280,000 to a local who has an interest in bloodstock.

The underbidder was a local farmer/businessman. The land had been rented out for a number of years but had extremely well maintained by the tenant farmer and was recently reseeded.