With just two farms exceeding 200ac sold in Co Offaly last year, and no residential farms changing hands, substantial holdings are rare, with those including a house rarer still. That scarcity is what sets Rathdrum House apart.

For sale by private treaty with GVM, the 203ac farm comprises rolling land, a large practical residence and an extensive yard in a well-serviced location.

Set several hundred metres back from the road along an avenue flanked by pasture, the 210 sq m five-bedroom house offers seclusion and privacy. While requiring refurbishment, the residence is likely to qualify for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant (VPRG) and has good potential to become a substantial, comfortable working farmhouse with character.

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The house has good potential to become a comfortable working farmhouse with character, pending refurbishment.

The kitchen of Rathdrum House. While requiring refurbishment, the house offers good potential and should qualify for the VPRG.

Adjacent to the house is a service yard containing feed stores and stone outbuildings. Traditional in nature, these buildings provide useful storage while also presenting scope for residential development, subject to the necessary permissions.

Large-scale enterprise

Leading on from this area is the farmyard, which is well-equipped to support a large-scale farming enterprise. Facilities include a large four-span slatted shed with four rows of slats and twin feed passages, a three-span round-roofed haybarn with adjoining three-span lean-to, a three-span shed with lie-back, a three-span hayshed, and a three-span machinery shed. There are also three silage slabs on-site.

Surrounding the yard is a substantial block of mixed-use land. Some 57ac along the eastern boundary is set in forestry. Planted just over 22 years ago, it has already received approval for thinning, offering potential future income while enhancing biodiversity, shelter and long-term investment value. The remaining 146ac is a mixture of free-draining productive arable land and grassland capable of supporting an extended grazing season, with scope to revert the entire area to grassland if required.

Overhead view of the yard at Rathdrum House, showing the extensive facilities and livestock accommodation.

The yard includes a four-span slatted shed and three-span machinery shed.

Interior of the four-span slatted shed which has four rows of slats and twin feed passages.

Given the farm’s scale, layout, and versatility, tillage, beef finishing, sheep production and dairy conversion are all viable options. In support of this, the farmyard provides a solid base for future paddock development.

Situated in a peaceful rural setting, Rathdrum House has the benefit of being less than 15 minutes from the lively town of Tullamore, Co Offaly, with its strong agricultural community, active mart and range of vets and feed suppliers.

Guided in the region of €1.9m - €2m, the farm offers scope for dairy expansion or for establishing a large-scale enterprise in a prime midlands location. Despite only recently going on the market, the holding has already attracted strong interest from local and national farmers seeking a substantial farming platform.

Aerial view outlining the 203ac of land at Rathdrum House. 57ac along the eastern perimeter is set in forestry.

A portion of the land is set out in productive tillage, but could be reverted back to grassland if necessary.