Nixon, horses and golden ground: the story of Kilfrush stud

There are many aspects of Kilfrush Stud, located at Knocklong, Co Limerick that justifies the €5.5m guide that agent Paddy Jordan has placed on it. The extensive modern residence is superb. The facilities, which include 73 boxes across two yards, are comprehensive. The 286 acres of limestone land is some of the best Limerick has to offer and the pedigree and respect that comes with Kilfrush is immense (the stud has bred 80 Grade 1 winners).

While the house, land and facilities may be a tangible way of judging the guide, other aspects such as its extraordinary history must also be factored in.

A visit from former American President Richard Nixon in 1970 adds to the mystique of this impressive stud farm.

The farm was then owned by Irish-American businessman John A Mulcahy, who supported Nixon’s presidential bid in 1968. Before Nixon visited the farm, major renovations and extensive accommodation was added to the courtyard to make it a very modern residence.

Mulcahy bought the farm in 1969 from the original owners of Kilfrush Estate, the Gubbins family. Mulcahy used the farm as a dairy enterprise before it was converted to a stud farm by Paris-based businessman Jean Pierre Binet in 1978. It is currently owned by Quatari businessman Mubarak al-Naemi. He bought the property in 2013, in what was a highly publicised sale at time.

The purchase came at a time when there was a major influx of Quatari investment in bloodstock in the Ireland, the UK and across Europe. In any case, over the last six years, al-Naemi and his stud manager, David Ryan of Arran Bloodstock, have maintained the facilities to the highest possible standards.

The stud farm

The residence is over 11,000sqft in total and was built in circa 1835 as part of a larger demesne for Joseph Gubbins, who was the Landlord and later to become High Sherriff of Co Limerick. In addition to this, there is 14,900sqft accommodation in the guest and leisure wing located beside the main residence (created for the visit of President Nixon).

The main residence includes four reception rooms, a kitchen, a wine cellar, various utilities and four principle bedrooms, all en suite. The guest/leisure wing includes three bedroom suites. The gate lodge comprises of over 1,100sqft and includes four bedrooms.

The manager’s house is a two-storey 2,400sqft residence. It contains two reception rooms, a fully fitted kitchen, four bedrooms, with two en suite, and is adjacent to the main yard. There are two staff houses and an apartment adjoining the stud office.

The facilities

The facilities, which include 73 boxes across two yards, are comprehensive. The main yard contains 24 boxes including stallion box, a tack and feed room, three foaling boxes, a setting- up room, a workshop, three pony boxes and an office.

The outer yard includes 11 yearling boxes and various sheds for hay and straw, as well as the lunging ring. There is an American barn with a further 22 boxes, a tack room, a feed room and stocks. There are six isolation boxes. The isolation yard located south of the main holding includes 12 boxes, feed house and turn-out paddock.

The land

The lands – which in all comprise of 286 acres – is all laid out in grass with post and rail fencing and internal road system accessing all the paddocks.

There is superb shelter with piped water to each paddock. The farm is ideal for grass production and has been well managed by the present owners. The ground is good-quality limestone land and is regarded as some of the finest in Limerick.

Pedigree

One thing that is for certain is how high esteem this stud enterprise is held in within the bloodstock industry. Over the course of its time as a stud farm, the enterprise has produced over 80 Group and Listed Winners including Last Tycoon, No Pass No Sale, Caerlina, Valentine Waltz, Immortal Verse and many more.

The offering

The property is being offered by public auction on Wednesday 24 July at 3pm in the Dunraven Arms, Adare, Co Limerick, unless it is previously sold. It is guided for €5.5m and viewing of the holding is strictly by appointment. The agent handling the sale is Paddy Jordan of Jordan Town and Country Estate Agents.