There has been a flurry of land auctions in recent weeks following the relatively quiet spring. The busiest auctioneer has been James L Murtagh, who has had over 25 farm auctions over the 12 weeks of May, June and July.

Padraic Murtagh said he favours grouping auctions in these weeks to coincide with the peak of the summer land market and to have clients’ farms looking their best. “It’s also efficient use of staff and marketing resources,” he says. He auctioned farms in six counties including Galway, Meath, Cavan, Westmeath, Longford and Offaly.

Among their most recent sales, James L Murtagh sold a farm at Cloneyheigue, Ballinagore, Co Westmeath. Lot 1 was a derelict house on c16.5ac and it sold for €300,000 to a local with farming and business interests. Lot 2 was also c16.5ac – it sold for €220,000 to a local farmer. Lot 3 was c5ac of raised and cutaway bog, roadside, and it sold for €5,000 to a neighbouring farmer who has bogland.

Part-time farmer

The same auctioneer offered a farm at Kilbeg, Robertstown, Carlanstown, Co Meath, most of it in tillage. Lot 1 was a period house – it made €565,000. The buyer has business interests. Lot 2 was c.27.5ac and it was bought for €470,000 by a person not involved in farming.

Next was c24ac at Baronstown, Ballynacargy, Co Westmeath. It was knocked down at €340,000 to “a builder/farmer”.

Padraic Murtagh then sold a c21ac farm at Bracklagh, Finea, Co Cavan. This farm had c5.5ac of forestry and lay adjacent to Bracklagh Lough. The land sold for €210,000 to a part-time farmer with business interests.

He also auctioned c21ac at Kilgolagh, Finea – it sold for €235,000 to a local farmer. The same auctioneer offered a c75ac lakeside holding at Kiltycreevagh, Ballinamuck, Co Longford – a c12ac lot sold for €135,000.

Finally, James L Murtagh auctioned 35ac with a derelict house at Lispopple, Coole, Co Westmeath. It was withdrawn at €305,000 but sold after negotiations for close to the €500,000 guide price.

Meanwhile, Eamonn Gaffney Auctioneers had a successful auction of a c21ac farm at Kivvy, Carrigallen, Co Leitrim, making approximately €10,000/ac.

A parcel of c14ac was knocked down for €140,000 to a group of local farmers, who will now divide it. The balance of c7.5ac was knocked down to another local farmer for €80,000.

In Co Meath, auctioneers Raymond Potterton sold 53ac of land at Mahonstown, Moynalty for €625,000, approximately €11,800/ac. A well located holding of 13.7ac at Townspark, Kells sold for €1.16m, over €84,000/ac.

A 20ac holding at Bartramstown, Clonalvy, on the Meath/Dublin border, sold for €515,000 or €25,750/ac.