Although guided at excess €250,000, the sale of a 99-acre residential mountain farm located at Lisliebane, Beaufort, Killarney, Co Kerry, surprised agent Tom Spillane, Killarney, when it successfully sold under the hammer for €530,000 last week. The farm, which included a share of 350 acres of commonage that takes in the well-known trail to Carrauntoohill, came to the market with a single-storey house and two derelict cottages.

Generating active local interest from five different parties initially, Tom opened the bidding at €200,000, which briskly shot up in €20,000 increments to €400,000. With that, the agent took a short recess and on his return, declared the farm on the market at €400,000. At this stage, bidder numbers whittled down to three and later to two, until the hammer finally fell at €530,000 (€5,300) to a local businessman. The underbidder was a local farmer.

Talks continue for Laois holding

A 10-acre residential package located at Garryduff, Clough, Portlaoise, Co Laois, was withdrawn in its entirety at €146,000 at last week’s public auction. It’s understood that selling agent William Mansfield, Rathdowney, is in talks with a couple of interested parties and is optimistic about concluding a deal in the short term. Described as “good quality land”, the property comes with a single-storey residence and was guided in the region of €160,000 prior to auction.

Tullamore package averages almost €16,000/acre

A 26.5-acre holding situated at Lackamore, Killeigh, Tullamore, Co Offaly, was knocked down at almost €16,000/acre at last week’s public auction. Good-quality land in the Geashill/Killeigh area appears to have commanded a strong level of interest in recent years. This latest result follows the successful sale of a 109-acre farm in the same region that sold in a number of lots for top-dollar last year.

At last week’s auction in the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore, selling agent Matt Dunne & Associates, Portarlington initially offered the property in three separate lots. These included 9.82 acres, which was bid to €190,000; a further 13.88 acres went to €160,000; while the derelict house on 2.76 acres peaked at €66,000. This gave a combined total of €416,000.

Following this, Matt offered the full 26.5 acres and with active bidding from two main players, the entire was later knocked down at €420,000 to an adjoining farmer. This works out at €15,800/acre, which represents an extremely healthy price for land in the area.

Meanwhile, a further 48 acres situated at Ard, Geashill, Tullamore, Co Offaly, is now for sale by private treaty after being withdrawn prior to a scheduled auction due to a title problem.

Summer grazing land in Kilkenny averages €6,000/acre

After opening at €130,000, bidding for a 33.4-acre parcel of land situated near Castlewarren, Co Kilkenny, progressed to €200,000 at last week’s public auction. At this stage, selling agent Godfrey Greene, Kilkenny, declared the property on the market and with no further movement, dropped the hammer at €200,000 (almost €6,000/acre) to a part-time farmer. Described as “good summer grazing ground”, the land included 12.5 acres of planted ground that generates an annual premium of €1,880 with four years remaining. The property was guided at €200,000 prior to auction.