The 85-acre residential Foxford Farm at Bansha, Co Tipperary, could provide the perfect opportunity for a young family with a farming interest to break into the industry.

The backdrop of the Galty Mountains provides a spectacular setting for this Golden Vale farm. With temperatures hitting 25°C when I visited a couple of weeks ago, it made the tree-lined entrance and post-and-rail fencing all the more impressive.

Laid out in one block, this circa 85-acre residential farm has been used for beef, sheep and equine purposes in the past. The land being of such a quality, it really would suit any enterprise.

Prestige

The cut-stone pillared entrance and automatic gates brings a sense of sophistication and prestige to the property. The entrance brings you down a tree-lined lane to be greeted by a two-storey fully restored farmhouse. The residence comes with ground floor accommodation comprising of an entrance hall, large open-plan sitting room/dining room, kitchen and a living room. The first floor consists of three double bedrooms and a bathroom.

The property has been kept in immaculate condition over the years. Mature hedges run throughout the farm being regularly tended, ensuring no waste.

The land itself is all in pasture and is laid out in five large fields, all serviced by mains water supply. Several of the fields were sporting fine covers of grass fit for silage production when I visited. The post-and-rail fencing surrounding every field adds a touch of class. A paddock system could very easily be installed in these fields, depending on the chosen enterprise. A private farm roadway ensures management of the farm is as streamlined as possible.

Farmyard

The compact farmyard is located adjacent to the residence and consists of an array of dry and slatted sheds. The sheds were never used by the current owner. However, they remain in sound structural condition. Also included on the farm are two large six-span hay sheds along with a three-span apex roof and solid floor shed with a three-bay slatted feeding area to the front. There is also another two-bay slatted unit.

The farm has excellent access and is located just off the main Cahir to Limerick road, less than five minutes from the village of Bansha.

When any big blocks of high-quality land come to the market in Tipperary all heads generally turn towards Coolmore Stud. However, this could be outside of their perceived area. This provides a unique opportunity for a local farmer to expand their existing block or the potential exists for somebody from further away to develop an outfarm. The farm has changed hands twice over the last 20 years, with the current owners having paid in excess of €1.7m when they purchased it in 2007, at the height of the property bubble. The property now comes with a much more modest price tag of €1m, which equates to slightly over €11,700/acre.

The property is for sale by private treaty and has received interest from the UK and America, along with domestic inquiries. The sale is being handled by David Cusack of Brophy Cusack, Waterford.