The up and down nature of the land market in Co Mayo continued in 2022.

Supply of land for sale halved, but average selling price doubled. Just 10 farms meeting our criteria were offered last year, down from 15. The total area was 357ac, well down from the 1,115ac of the year before. Just eight of the farms offered on the market were sold by year end.

Tighter supply may well have helped push up prices. However, a bigger factor is likely to have been the better general quality of the land and holdings offered for sale.

In any case, average price was €8,574/ac, significantly higher than the €4,813/ac of the previous year. The increase was €3,761/ac or 78%. This was the biggest change in price seen in any county in 2022.

Six of the farms were under 40ac and they averaged €8,876/ac on sale. The farms over 40ac averaged €7,671/ac on sale.

Fox & Gallagher Auctioneers successfully auctioned 100ac at Keerglen, Ballycastle for €400,000. The same auctioneer sold 27ac at Killala by auction for €215,000. Michael Burke Auctioneers sold 46.73ac of good land at Killernan, Kilmaine by private treaty. Savills sold Whitethorn Lodge on 19ac outside Swinford, also by private treaty.

Average: €8,574

% change on 2021: 78

Acres offered: 334

Total number of farms: 10

Price range: €4,000 to €12,000

Most active buyers: suckler/beef

Weighted average: €7,285

Number of transactions: 8