At 9,317 acres, Cork had by far the greatest amount of land offered for sale in 2016. Next to Cork was Tipperary at 5,122 acres, followed by Kildare at 4,576 acres. The supply of land to the market in Co Cork last year was up by almost 25% on the previous year, when 7,458 acres were offered for sale.

Overall, the level of activity remained extremely steady, with 74 complete sales recorded and an average price of €10,053/acre, representing only a 3% drop on the previous year. Prices in the county ranged from €3,200/acre for a farm in the Baltimore area to a top price of circa €17,000/acre for a strategically located 135-acre farm situated at Park South and Cahermone, Midleton, Co Cork, which sold under the hammer for €2.29m.

Properties that sold included a 103-acre residential farm near Aherla, which made in the region of €14,500/acre; a 62-acre farm close to Lombardstown sold in a private deal for a figure in the region of €11,200/acre; a 20-acre parcel in the Enniskeane region averaged €10,100/acre, while a sizeable residential farm with farm buildings in east Cork made in the region of €9,800/acre.

Top-quality tillage land near Doneraile averaged €11,000/acre; a 100-acre block suitable for forestry made €5,000/acre; a sizeable farm in the direction of Kinsale sold for €8,600/acre, a lovely farm in west Cork averaged €12,100/acre; a 70-acre farm in east Cork sold for €7,000/acre, while land in the Upton area averaged €10,000/acre. There were a number of good-quality small parcels ranging from 15 to 35 acres that made between €13,000 to €15,000/acre.

Some of the bigger farms included a 358-acre holding at Walshestown Beg, Midleton, which was offered for sale by tender and a 298-acre residential package at Graigue House, Shanballymore, for sale by private treaty. It’s understood that both farms are still available.