Last week, Clonmel-based auctioneer Pat Quirke offered a 44.73-acre farm situated in Mayladstown, Ballypatrick, just outside the town of Clonmel, Co Tipperary, for sale by public auction.

When viewing the farm in Ballypatrick a number of weeks ago, I suggested that it was a sale that was likely to test the confidence of the market and provide a real indicator of the mood among farmers in the south Tipperary region.

On the day of the auction last week, there was certainly no sense of caution in the room when selling agent Quirke put the farm up for sale.

A small crowd of 15 people had gathered for the sale and watched on as two local farmers battled it out for the land.

An opening bid of €450,000 got proceedings underway and increased in increments of €10,000 at a time. After an offer of €580,000, Quirke consulted with the vendors who instructed him to put the land on the market.

Bidding resumed between the two farmers and continued to rise steadily. A final bid of €690,000, or just under €15,500/acre, was enough to secure the farm, well exceeding the guide price of €600,000.

“This is undoubtedly one of the best parcels of land to come to the market in this area in recent times and proves that good land in the right location will always attract strong local interest,” said Pat Quirke, speaking after the auction.

The farm in Ballypatrick is all in grass and has frontage onto three separate roads, including the N76 road between Clonmel and Kilkenny.

The land, which is laid out in six divisions, is said to be in excellent condition, having been maintained by a suckler farmer for the last number of years. The farm also includes cattle handling facilities, a crush and a two-span hayshed.

Residential farm sold in lots

While Pat Quirke was busy selling the 44.73-acre farm in Clonmel, another hotly contested auction was taking place up the road in Tipperary town. Joint selling agents CCM Property, Mitchelstown, and Donovan Auctioneers, Tipperary, offered a 45-acre residential farm located in Kilfeacle, an area between the town of Cashel and Tipperary, for sale by public auction.

The joint agents agreed to offer the farm in its entire or in two lots. Lot one comprised the house and one acre, while lot two extended to the remaining 44 acres.

After offering the farm in its entire and receiving just a single offer below the guide price of €500,000, it was decided to proceed with the sale via the separate lots.

The house and one acre were put up for sale first and were contested between two bidders, before the lot was eventually knocked down to a local woman and her son for €94,000. After the hammer fell for the first lot, attention then turned to the second lot comprising the 44 acres.

Again, two bidders fought it out for the land, with plenty of action back and forth, before the hammer fell after an offer of €535,000, or €12,160/acre. The land was bought in trust by two solicitors, believed to be acting on behalf of two farmers who came together to buy the land.

The land in Kilfeacle is all in grass and described by selling agent Eamonn O’Brien of CCM Property as “some of the best in the county”. The house sold on one acre is described as a four-bedroom bungalow farmhouse and included some stone out-offices.

O’Brien said the auction worked “very well” between the joint agents as they exceeded the guide price selling the farm for €629,000 in total.