The sale of a 78ac residential farm on the outskirts of Waterford City showed the appetite that is there for land in the southeast as it exceeded its guide price by almost €1m.

Guided ahead of auction at €2.175m, the farm at Bishopscourt, Grantstown sold at public auction on Friday 10 April in the Woodlands Hotel, Waterford.

Offered in two lots and its entire, an opening bid of €1.8m was placed on the entire and strong bidding brought it to €2.8m before it was placed on the market by auctioneer, Des Purcell.

A number of further bids were placed before he brought the gavel down at €3.1m. This equates to €39,744/ac.

A consortium of three adjoining land owners, one of which is All-Ireland senior hurling club champions Ballygunner GAA, is believed to have been the purchaser.

After a slow start, land auctions are beginning to pick up and last week saw further auctions conducted.

In the Clonmel area, PF Quirke and Co Ltd held auctioned two non-residential grassland holdings on Tuesday 14 April.

The first block offered was 17.2ac at Kilmacomma, Clonmel.

There were three bidders involved and it was sold at €310,000 (€18,023/ac) to a neighbouring property owner.

The second farm, 30ac at Ballintogher, Killenaule was withdrawn at €410,000 and following negotiations sold at a higher figure.

Elsewhere last week, Coonan Property achieved a price in excess of €22,000 for a 14ac holding at Sheriffhill, Moone, Co Kildare on Wednesday 15 April.

Three bidders took part in the blended online and public auction in Lawlor’s Hotel in Naas.

Bidding opened at €250,000 and reached €280,000 when it was withdrawn.

Coonan reported that it was subsequently sold for a price well in excess of €300,000.