Appetite for leasing land remains solid in the northeast, according to auctioneer Kay Smith of Navan firm Smith Harrington Auctioneers and Valuers.

“We thought it would quieten down after last year, but we’ve had quite a strong demand, but it’s early days yet," she said.

"A lot of land was tied into leases last year, as farmers were anxious to secure it for the duration of the new CAP. We’ll see over the next while if that continues or whether the supply of land is there.”

For sale

Smith Harrington also has a number of farms for sale by private treaty in the Royal County.

The first consists of circa 34.64ac at Athcarne, Duleek. Initially offered as part of a larger offering, they are for sale in two lots and are located on a cul-de-sac laneway. They are a mix of tillage and grazing land.

The larger of the two comprises of 19ac of top-quality land currently used for tillage. In one division, it is guided at €15,000/ac. There is approximately 250 metres of road frontage.

Given there are a number of houses around, some of this land may have potential for residential sites subject to the necessary planning permission.

The other parcel is less than 300 metres away. A field of 15.6ac in the shadow of Athcarne Castle, this field is all in grass and has some frontage on Hurley River. Currently used for grazing, it is guided at €12,000/ac.

Just 5km south of Duleek and within 4km from the N2 road that goes between Slane and Ashbourne, the land's location makes them easily accessible to potential buyers in a wide radius.

Tillage land

Further north in the county, the other farm consists of 37.48ac of prime land at Parsonstown, Rathkenny.

Like the Athcarne land, there is road frontage of approximately 230 metres that could lend itself as a potential site option.

The prime land at Parsonstown, Rathkenny, Co Meath, is presently in tillage.

Sandwiched between a public road and the Keeran River, the land is all in one division and is currently used for tillage.

Located only 9km from the village of Slane, there is a guide of €500,000 on this fine block of tillage land. This equates to roughly €13,500/ac.