Coonan Property sold a 139ac farm with a yard near Ratoath, Co Meath for €26,870/ac – after dramatic auction bidding. The grass farm had slatted and bedded cattle sheds, haysheds and a machinery shed. It was offered in a single lot.

Bidding opened at €2.5m and two bidders made bids of €50,000 to €2.85m. Bids of €25,000 continued and the property went on the market at €3.35m.

At this stage a third bidder got involved – and was successful with the hammer falling at €3,735,000. The buyer is a local businessman.

A few days later, the same auctioneers got over €2m at auction for a 102.4ac cattle farm at Ashbourne, Co Meath. This farm was non-residential but had an exceptional farmyard. The farm was offered in lots but sold in the entire. Bidding opened at €1.6m and progressed to €2.1m, at which point the farm was withdrawn.

Following negotiations, a deal was reached. The price agreed was substantially higher than the final bid, Coonans said.

Meanwhile, a Co Monaghan farm has been sold for close to €2m – one of the biggest sales in the county for some years.

The 123.8ac residential holding is at Tullynamalra, outside Castleblaney and was sold by Raymond Fee Auctioneers by private treaty.