Views come free with coastal gem
A fine example of east Cork tillage ground, the 87-acre, residential tillage farm is one part of an executor’s sale that includes another 53-acre holding at Ballywilliam, Churchtown South, across the road.
For this reason the entire 140-acre farm could be bought by one individual; some enquiries have leaned that way, says Cyril Wall, of Cronin Wall, who’s jointly selling the outstanding coastal land with Adrianna Hegarty of Hegarty Auctioneers.
The home farm at Ballycroneen includes a mid-20th century bungalow in need of modernisation, a fine property with kitchen/dining room, living room, utility, three bedrooms and a bathroom.
The farmyard is set close to the sea end of the farm and has a range of old stone buildings — a cottage and former dwelling house and some modern sheds and lean-tos. The farm, which has been let for some time, is in a mix of tillage and grass and has a central farm roadway, with 300 yards of road frontage.
A little more fragmented, the second holding at Ballywilliam comprises 53 acres all in tillage and it also comes with a coastal boundary. A non-residential sale, the land is in three interconnecting blocks and is accessed via a laneway from the road. The property is not being sold in lots and will be offered in the entire 53 acres, guide priced at €8,000 to €10,000 per acre.
The reserve also holds good for the main 87-acre block, says Cyril Wall, who says that both properties will be “sold at auction regardless”.
An overseas buyer may be a possibility, says Adrianna Hegarty, as the farm buildings could pave the way for planning permission on the coast, which is otherwise next to impossible, she says.
Neighbouring owners are a mix of generational farmers and local and international celebrities, she says, with Angela Lansbury’s holiday home close to the Ballywilliam farm. The beauty of the location and the accessibility to Ballybrannigan beach might prove a draw for an upper echelon hobby farm buyer, she says, as the farm’s layout means it can’t be broken up.
And the fact that land here has been owned by generations of the same families means there will be quite a bit of interest, as the sale is very rare, she says.
At its highest guide point, the property could be worth €1.4 million, but both farms will also be offered separately on the day of the auction. Solicitor Mary Creed of Joseph Cuddigan Solicitors, has carriage of sale and the auction will take place at the Midleton Park Hotel on Wednesday, Feb 25, at 3.30pm, through joint agents Hegarty Properties and Cronin Wall.
