There are a number of different aspects of one of Kerry’s most recent land auctions that caught our eyes. For those interested in the land itself, the quality and size of the farm was exceptional. A 100-acre farm of such high quality is a-once-in-a-lifetime purchase around the Beaufort area.

The price was incredible. After a bidding war, the hammer finally fell at just under €2m or €17,500/ac – almost double the county’s average land value in 2018.

The interest in this land sale was also notable. Six bidders battled for the holding, with as many as five still present up to €1.5m or €13,600/ac. The buyer was Daniel Tim O’Sullivan, a Kerry-born businessman who worked in construction in London.

But the element of this sale that certainly caught the eye over the last number of weeks was the seller. The Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood were the vendors of Whitefield Farm.

It was donated by Denis and Mary Doyle in the 1960s, who built and operated St Mary of the Angels for over 30 years. St Mary of the Angels – a residential home for people with intellectual disabilities – is now operated by St John of God.

The financial benefit of the farm is to go to the nuns for their future care. The farm was highly publicised prior to the auction and was widely reported on in the local media. The residential home for people with intellectual disabilities was not affected by the sale of the land.

The auction itself

An opening bid €800,000 or €7,300/ac was taken by agent Tom Spillane in front of a crowd of 60. It did not take long before bidding began to take ramp up. The former Kerry footballer oversaw the bidding move up to €1m or €10,000/ac, before rising to €1.2m or almost €11,000/ac in increments of €25,000.

Spillane then called for a recess and consulted with vendors. Upon resumption, the property was placed on the market. From here, things began to heat up. Five bidders were interested until €1.5m or €13,600/ac according to the agent. However, two bidders dominated the auction.

The bidding rose until it reached €1.925m or €17,500/ac before the hammer fell. The eventual buyer was the aforementioned Daniel Tim O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan, who is originally from the Glenbeigh region of Kerry, has extensive farming interests in the mid and south Kerry area.

His prize was a top-quality 110-acre farm just outside of Beaufort. The holding contains 90 acres of excellent pastureland with the balance made up of woodland and tree cover.

The underbidder was from a well-known local family.