Local farmer buys holding

IT took years to sell, but when it did it sold well. Templehill Farm, on one of the highest points to the west of Cork city, has been bought by a local farmer for in excess of €3m.

Auctioneer Dan Fleming finally succeeded where other agents failed. “We got a fantastic result for it, and it was a bit of a marathon, but we kept after it,” he said.

He sold the 111 acre farm to agricultural consultant Michael Brady, representing a local dairy farmer keen to expand. Indeed, another local farm may also be in his sights; Mr Fleming has confirmed he is in active negotiation on another property in the area.

The Templehill land is steeply sloping, but has top class soil, according to the agent, and had been used for tillage for years.

It’s under permanent pasture now, and the new owner will continue farming, which will maintain the character of the metropolitan greenbelt.

Templehill Farm is near a proposed route for the Ballincollig to Blackpool section of Cork’s Northern Ring Road.

But, according to sources at County Hall, the Leemount route is the most likely option, involving a choice between a flyover, a banked roadway and/or a tunnel still being reviewed by the National Roads Authority.

The final route choice will be of major interest to local landowners, and the betting money is on a direct route from Poulavone roundabout.

*Dan Fleming is selling what he describes as the best of land at Mogeely, Conna, Co Cork, with 52 acres and a period stone farmhouse with courtyard on offer.

There’s an existing offer of €20,000 per acre for this tillage farm, close to Curraglass and Conna village, in one block with good road frontage.

The guide price exceeds €1m, without the house.

*In North Cork, the agent is selling a 28 acre field at Castlelyons, ideal for a hobby farm, he says. The best of land, it has good road frontage near the village.

The guide price is €25,000 to €30,000 per acre.