It was a busy year in Clare with more land of varying quality offered for sale, more land sold, and prices up by about 5%.

In all, our survey looked at over 3,000ac that was on the market in the county last year. Two thirds of holdings for sale were under 40ac. Just three were over 100ac and only one of these sold.

The number of holdings sold that met the criteria for our survey was 23. The average price was €9.076/ac, an increase of €417/ac on 2022.

Prices ranged from €1,315/ac for hill type land up to €28,125/ac.

That maximum price was one of the highest seen in Clare in recent years and it was achieved for a 48ac farm at Ballykilty, with a traditional farmhouse, was sold at auction by GVM.

It sold under the hammer to a local farmer who has dairy interests.

In other good sales, Pat Considine Auctioneers sold a 65ac non-residential holding of grassland near Ennis, at Slaveen.

This farm, which has a good cattle yard, was sold at auction for €1.32m or over €20,000/ac. The same auctioneer sold a 14ac holding at Dunsallagh, Miltown Malbay at auction for over €19,600/ac.

These prices indicate that while the average price – across a range of land quality – might be about €9,000/ac in Clare, the most sought-after farms in the county are heading towards €20,000/ac.