Not surprisingly, Dublin has the highest average price per acre for agricultural land. At an average of €18,829/ac this is actually 14% lower than the price recorded in 2018. The number of acres offered to the market was 631, and the number that sold was 463.

Most of the land sold in Dublin was near the border with Co Meath, however there were a few exceptions. The most significant change to the Dublin market last year was the availability of farmland. With just 631ac offered to the market as eight farms, this was much less than 2018. In 2018, some 1,452ac were offered to the Dublin market and 23 farms. Of those in 2018, 13 sold and one farm was reported to sell for €9m and another smaller holding for €50,000/ac.

Such figures were not seen in 2019, and perhaps some of the speculators had gone out of the market. Tillage buyers were seemingly quite active in the market, but there was also a strong business presence.

There was an even split in terms of farms recorded on the Dublin market last year that were over and under 40ac. The average price for smaller parcels of less than 40ac was €22,431/ac, compared to the average price of €13,425/ac for larger offerings.

Two farms that went to auction in Dublin both sold under the hammer. The first was 34ac approximately 100 yards from the village of Garristown. Some 18ac of the property sold for around €16,260/ac to two different buyers. The second was 48ac on Cabin Hill Lane, Naul, which is laid out in four divisions at the edge of Naul village. It made €9,750/ac, or €465,560 when it went to auction.

*Average: €18,829/ac

Acres offered: 630

Total number of farms: 8

Price range: €9,750/ac - €39,500/ac

Weighted average: €16,823/ac

*Based on 5 transactions