Land prices can move up and down sharply in Co Dublin from year to year, depending on what farms are put up for sale. As expected, the number on offer is never high.

Last year, prices took a big dip, falling by 30%. The average price for land sold by year end was €25,490/ac, down from €38,023/ac in 2023. It still leaves the county with the dearest farmland in the country, by a distance.

The high quality land in the north of the county fetches the highest prices and is usually bought by business people or by intensive farmers, often involved in vegetable, horticultural or tillage production.

Hill and mountain land in the south of the county fetches lower prices at which full-time farmers can compete. Land nearer to the city fetches a large premium.

Twenty parcels of land currently in use for farming, and not zoned for housing, were placed on the market in 2024 and half had sold by year end.

The biggest sale was the 84.8ac of tillage ground at Kilcoskan, Killsallaghan, in the very north of the county, sold at auction by Savills for €20,000/ac.

JP&M Doyle sold a 64ac grass farm at Moorepark, Garristown, by private treaty. Further north in the county, Raymond Potterton Auctioneers sold 52.4ac at Johnstown, Lusk at auction, for €1m or €18,300/ac.

Sherry Fitzgerald Cumisky Kelly sold a number of farms in the 20ac to 40ac size range, again in the north of the county, with these properties making €20,000/ac to €40,000/ac at sale.

Vital statistics

Average*: €25,490/ac

% change on 2023: -30%

Acres offered: 803

Total number of farms: 20

Price range: €4,526/ac to €48,571/ac

Most active buyers: Business

Weighted average: €23,251/ac

*Number of transactions: 9