Re: 92 Acres, Bert Demesne, Athy, Co. Kildare
They say the ‘cream always rises to the top’ therefore it was fitting on Tuesday last that some of the finest land in County Kildare on the edge of Athy at Bert Demesne, surrounded by many of best tillage farmers in the Country achieved a record price for 2015 in the area of just over €19,000 per acre.
Jordan Auctioneers, Newbridge handled the sale before a packed room in the Clanard Court Hotel, Athy. The land was all in one block with extensive dual road frontage and has been in arable use for the last number of years with no waste whatsoever and noted for its continual high yields.
It was proposed to offer the land for sale in three lots but it quickly became apparent that the real interest was in the entire holding. Paddy Jordan, having read the room expertly started with the entire 92 acres and the land opened with an initial bid of €500,000 with four bidders who participated right up to €1,740,000. At this point the entire was put on hold and Lot 1 comprising 64 acres was then offered for sale with two bids of €1,000,000 and €1,100,000 respectively. Lot 2 then comprising 27½ acres was then offered and received no bids at which point Mr. Jordan adjourned to consult with the vendors.
A quick decision was made and it was decided to place the entire 92 acres on the market at €1,740,000. Two further bids were received and the hammer was dropped to the highest bidder, Helen Dawson of Delaney Dawson Solicitors, Newbridge acting on behalf of an undisclosed client.
This was an extraordinary price for purely agricultural land and commenting after the sale Paddy Jordan said there had been ‘great interest in the lands and the result again highlights that quality, location and the strength of farmers in the locality remain the key ingredients to obtaining a premium above the average rate before adding that there are 3 very disappointed under bidders looking for something similar in the area’.
