Land prices dipped slightly in Co Limerick last year to an average of €13,872/ac. This was a drop of 3% from the €14,376/ac of the year before. The decrease was €504/ac.

There was a marginal increase in the supply of farms for sale. Our survey looked at 104 farms and holdings with a total of 4,622ac, a mix of all land types. That was up from 61 farms with 2,718ac the year before.

We did our calculations on 37 farms that had sold by year-end and met the required criteria. These ranged in price from a minimum of €4,091/ac to a maximum of €25,481/ac.

One notable sale was the 190ac dairy farm at Kilcolman, Ardagh with a nice farmhouse which was put up for auction by GVM Auctioneers. Fifteen individuals registered to bid, the farm sold in lots to four different buyers – it’s no longer an operating dairy farm. The total sale price was a very healthy €4.15m. GVM also sold 32ac, which were non-residential, at Ploughlands, Croom for approximately €18,000/ac. The buyer was a local businessman, the underbidder a dairy farmer.

Elsewhere REA John Lee sold a 81.7ac farm at Ballycahane Upper, Manister with frontage onto Lough Nagirra for €945,000, equal to €11,560/ac. The same auctioneer also sold a 33ac equestrian holding at Killonan, Castletroy for €22,727/ac.

Not surprisingly, dairy farmers continued to be the most active buyers of land in Limerick last year.

Vital statistics

Average*: 13,872/ac

% change on 2023: -3%

Acres offered: 4,622

Total number of farms: 104

Price range: €4,091/ac to €25,481/ac

Most active buyers: Dairy

Weighted average: €14,980/ac

*Number of transactions: 37