Auctioneer Padraic Murtagh from James L Murtagh Auctioneers, Mullingar, offered a 32-acre parcel of land at Reynella, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, in five different lots at last week’s auction.

The residence on circa 8.5 acres was withdrawn at €75,000 but has since generated a good level of interest. The auctioneer is confident of concluding a sale and is guiding this lot in the region of €120,000.

A 10.6-acre parcel of mixed quality land was withdrawn at €38,000 and is currently under negotiation, while the remaining circa 11.5 acres sold in three lots (two under the hammer and one after auction) for a figure in excess of €10,000/acre.

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Described as “good quality”, part of the land was in need of attention but it came with extensive road frontage and a three-bed bungalow located on a nice elevated site.

13 acres almost makes €10,000/acre

Meanwhile, Padraic Murtagh also sold a 13-acre parcel of limestone land at Colehill, Co Meath, for €129,000 at a recent auction.

After opening at €80,000, the bidding progressed in €2,000 and €5,000 increments all the way to €110,000, at which stage the land was placed on the market. It took another €19,000 before the hammer finally fell at €129,000 (almost €10,000/acre) to a local farmer.

59-acre making progress

Elsewhere, a 59-acre farm near Castletown Geoghegan, was withdrawn at the recent public auction at €275,000.

It has since made significant progress and may be sold in its entirety or in a number of lots.

Currently in tillage and grass, the land is described as “good quality” with some sections in need of attention. It is guided in the region of €380,000.

Roscommon parcel

bid to €105,000

A 20.5-acre residential parcel of land on the outskirts of Cloonfad, Co Roscommon, was unsold at last week’s public auction. The land was offered as part of a multi-auction comprising commercial, residential and agricultural property, which was conducted by auctioneer REA Seamus Carthy, Roscommon town.

On the day, the 20.5 acres fell short of the €125,000 guide price and was withdrawn at €105,000. It is now for sale by private treaty and presently under active negotiation.

Described as “reasonable quality with medium- to long-term potential”, the property came with an old cottage-style residence in need of complete refurbishment.

Interestingly, at the same auction, Seamus sold three-quarters of the residential/commercial property that was on offer, to UK-based buyers. From his experience, despite the reality of Brexit, he made the point that the level of inquiries from UK customers hadn’t dropped over the past few months but, rather, the amount of money they were willing to spend had tightened.

Over €13,000/acre

outside Tullow

Over €13,000/acre was realised at the auction of a 43.75-acre farm at Roscatt, Tullow, Co Carlow. Selling agent Sherry FitzGerald McDermott, Carlow, opened the bidding at €350,000 and later put the farm on the market at €430,000 with the help of two eager bidders.

While neither side was willing to concede, the bidding steadily progressed in €5,000 increments all the way to the drop of the hammer at €570,000 (€13,028/acre). The property was bought in trust by an auctioneer who was believed to be acting for a businessman; the underbidder was a farmer/builder.

Situated less than two miles from Tullow, the land had been let out for the past 10 years, is currently in grass and comes with excellent road frontage. It’s believed the buyer intends to use the land for farming.

Kilkenny parcel tops €12,000/acre

A 44-acre non-residential farm at Coppenagh, Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny, sold in two lots for a combined figure in the region of €400,000 at last week’s public auction. A local business man secured the first lot, comprising circa 14 acres laid out in two fields, for €170,000 (€12,100/acre), while the remaining circa 30 acres along with a three-bay shed was withdrawn at €230,000.

It’s understood the 30 acres sold shortly afterwards in a private deal to an adjoining farmer for the same figure of €230,000. This gave a combined total of €400,000 or an average of almost €9,100/acre.

Joe Coogan, Castlecomer, handled the sale

Auction cancelled

It’s understood that last week’s auction of a 51.5-acre non-residential farm at Ballinacourty, Darragh, Glenroe, Co Limerick, was cancelled. The property is now for sale by private treaty through selling agent Richard Ryan, GVM Auctioneers, Kilmallock. Described as “excellent Goldenvale land”, the property comes with a slatted shed and a range of outoffices.

Wexford land under negotiation

A 37-acre non-residential parcel of land at Coolamain and Martingale, Oylegate, Co Wexford, was withdrawn at last week’s public auction. Selling agent Michael O’Leary from Sherry FitzGerald O’Leary Kinsella, Enniscorthy, is currently in talks with an interested party and is now offering the farm for sale by private treaty. Situated just a mile outside Oylegate, the land is set out in a long 37-acre strip, is currently in grass and is guided in the region of €7,000/acre. It’s understood that it is currently under offer.

Two out of two in Carlow

Up to 35 people turned up to last week’s auction of a 29.7-acre piece of ground at Glynn, St Mullins, Co Carlow. The land, which was rented out for the past 20 years, generated a lot of interest on the build-up to the auction, conducted by auctioneer John Radford from Sherry FitzGerald Radford, New Ross.

On the day, John put up the first lot comprising 6.9 acres, which generated bids from no less than six interested parties. It eventually sold under the hammer for €62,000 (almost €9,000/acre) to a local. Around 1.5 acres are in need of reclamation. The second lot of circa 22.15 acres was withdrawn at €150,000 but sold afterwards for a higher figure to an adjoining farmer. This land was mostly elevated, suited to grazing and came with a small section of marginal-quality ground.

Lost ground regained in Roscommon

Auctioneer John Earley, Roscommon town, has noted a pick-up in the demand for land over the past two months. He explained that the ground which was lost earlier in the year had been regained over the past six weeks as a result of a strengthening in the demand for land.

At one of John’s multi-auctions last week, a 42.37-acre residential farm at Bracklaghboy, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, sold under the hammer for €350,000. The land, which was described as “good land for the area”, came with a three-bed bungalow residence and a farmyard. After a lively auction, it sold to a local farmer for €350,000.

At the same auction, a 21-acre parcel of land at Sheehaun, Kilrooskey, Co Roscommon, sold in three separate lots for a combined figure of €91,000. The property, which came with an old shed and a derelict residence, was bought by three locals.

Meanwhile, at the October multi-auction staged by John, a 52-acre non-residential farm at Mullymux, Roscommon, sold for €435,000 (€8,300/acre) to a neighbouring farmer. A further 14 acres of marginal-quality land at Kinnitty, Four mile House, made €64,000, while 11 acres at Dooherty, Four Mile House, was withdrawn at €35,000 but sold afterwards in a private deal for a much higher figure.