A 217ac ready-to-go dairy farm at Raharney in Co Westmeath, has sold at auction for €2.775m, one of a number of valuable sales seen in recent days.

Auctioneer Stephen Barry of Raymond Potterton, who handled the sale, said that a number of dairy farmers competed for this holding which had a traditional, two-storey farmhouse. It was knocked down to a solicitor acting in trust.

Earlier this month, the same auctioneers sold a 77ac farm at Newrath Big, Kells, Co Meath for €1.35m. The farm came with a vacant, small bungalow, which had some renovation work carried out.

A c154ac farm with a lovely period house in Co Wexford made €2.9m at auction – €500,000 over its guide price. Rockspring House also has good land and a fine farmyard. The house has five bedrooms and in good condition. The land and most of the farmyard are leased out under a 10-year contract.

Rockspring House had nice land and a good yard - but the highlight was the elegant house.

The agents – Sherry FitzGerald O’Leary Kinsella and Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes – offered the farm in five lots and there were two to three bidders on each. The hammer fell to an online bidder, understood to be Irish, who bought the entire.

Smaller properties have sold well at auction, too. Jordan Auctioneers sold c16.6ac at Cooltrim, Donadea, Co Kildare, for €270,000, or just over €16,000/ac. Three bidders competed and the successful one was an auctioneer acting for a client.

Quinn Property sold c10ac with an equestrian yard at Sruhaun, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, for €219,000, or €21,900/ac. The farm had been guided at €150,000. Six people registered to bid in the online auction. It opened at €100,000 and the property was put on the market at €205,000. Two bidders competed until the hammer fell.