49 acres to make close to €1m

AUCTIONEER Tom Brady of Enniskeane, Co Cork is selling 49 acres near the town, at Phale, and already looking at €800,000 in bids.

He expects it to make close to a million, as the land is top quality, he says, and practically without waste.

In the Bandon Valley, nearly directly opposite Carbery Milk Products, the farm is all in one block and has a slightly northern slope, with plenty of frontage onto the Ballineen-Ballinacarriga road.

The farm would have been part of the Kilcaskan estate, and Kilcaskan Castle and woodlands are close by.

(The one-time owner of the estate, O’Neill Daunt is said to have fought the last duel in Ireland, at Youghal, Co Cork with his neighbour, O’Connor of Manch, who held the Manch estate at the time. O’Neill Daunt didn’t survive the event.)

According to Tom Brady, this piece of ground is renowned for its ability to produce high-yielding tillage crops and beef, but it also has strong equestrian connections.

The Kerrygold All Ireland champion brood mare, Bundrimeen Lass, was grazed at Phale, and horses have been a significant feature of farming in the area, Mr Brady remarked.