Arriving on the market in 2016, An Grianán Estate was sold for a substantial €17.4m, or €9,666/ac, last July. Standing on 2,400 acres, approximately 1,800 acres is working farmland while 600 acres is made up of lake and foreshore. This was one of 13 completed transactions in the county in 2017, but in a general sense, average price was hit hard.

Falling 18%, Donegal saw the second greatest average price drop per acre in Ireland behind Waterford with the average price per acre falling from €7,724 in 2016 to €6,328 in the last year.

Prices ranged from €1,500/ac to €10,000/ac, with a number of marginal sales bringing down the average.

The supply of land to the market in Donegal also fell, with a total of 3,120 acres offered in the county compared with 3,545ac offered in 2016, a fall of 12%. The land market was characterised by fewer smaller parcels and a host of larger holding coming on to the market.

Accompanying An Grianán, 285 acres of hill grazing at Cronadun near Cloghan, 104 acres at Dungloe and 196 acres at Laughnabrogue made up some of the largest offerings in Donegal, none of which sold in 2017.

In terms of sales, 100 acres near Carrigens sold for an undisclosed sum in late spring; a parcel near Pettigo made €7,700/ac; a circa 29ac parcel sold for €102,000 or €3,550/ac near Buncrana, while 15 acres in the east of the county made in the region of €10,000/ac. The impressive Victorian House on 90 acres at Donaghmore House in Castlefin is believed to be sale agreed but not yet complete.

Auctioneers have cited a tight supply in 2017 with seemingly less interest from outside and crossborder buyers seen by some this year. Like other counties, location, quality and adjoining land owners have a heavy influence on the direction of the sale.

Vital statistics

  • *Average: €6,328/acre
  • Land offered: 3,120 acres
  • Price range/acre: €1,508 to €10,000
  • No of farms offered: 21
  • Biggest farm offered: 2,400 acres
  • Weighted average: €6,979/acre
  • *Based on 13 transactions

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