North Cork farm to be sold in lots
The 66-acre residential property in question is situated in the townland of Ballyclough, close to the village of Kilworth, in north Cork.
The sizeable farm has a very strong package that will attract a very wide range of suitors and the interesting thing will be to see whether it sells as one or in two separate parts.
This is a farm with some sweet-sounding strings to its bow.
“It’s located just off the main Fermoy-Mitchelstown road so it’s very close to the motorway,” says selling agent Michael O’Donovan. “It’s a beautiful bit of ground and it’s an executor sale.”
The land quality in this part of the world has a strong reputation. It may not officially be in the Golden Vale but it certainly would be deserving of some kind of associate membership.
“It’s good, dry sound ground — it would be limestone land and there are some nice mature trees around it.”
The farm comes with not one but two dwellings. A traditional-style five-bedroom farmhouse is the standout property of these two.
It’s an extended house that is in very good condition and the impressive and charming home is accessed via a tree-lined avenue with the farmyard off to the left as you approach.
This house comprises approximately 184m² of living space — a good deal more than your average Irish country farmhouse.
Accommodation includes five bedrooms (one downstairs with ensuite bathroom and four more upstairs), entrance hall, downstairs shower room, kitchen, living room, parlour and bathroom.
The second house is a more modest bungalow that represents more of a gate lodge to the main residence. It consists of two bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen and shower room, as well as an entrance hall.
The land itself enjoys excellent road frontage and is well laid out in six easily managed divisions, according to the selling agents. It is currently under grass.
The immediate area is well served by a strong cross-section of active farming interests that include equestrian and dairying sectors in particular, but also tillage farmers.
The great road frontage that the holding enjoys ensures that it lends itself to being broken into smaller lots. The three lots being proposed by the selling agents are:
- Lot 1 — the entire holding of 66 acres of pasture, including the two dwellings, yard and outbuildings
- Lot 2 — the farmhouse, bungalow and yard on nine acres
- Lot 3 — the remaining holding of circa 57 acres.
This fascinating farm is already attracting some interest from a variety of quarters, even though it has only just gone on the market, according to Michael.
“We’ve only just advertised it but we’ve already got a good number of calls,” he says. “I would expect there to be strong interest developing on this property.”
The asking price of €900,000 translates as a per-acre price of almost €14,000 — a bullish expectation but good land with superb access in a strong farming area and with such a large parcel of pasture should command a strong price.
The other wild card here is the good condition and charm of the house. Being offered with outbuildings, extra accommodation and nine acres, it is sure to tempt not only the hobby farmer or the person simply seeking a pleasant home in the countryside with unrivalled access to the city, but also the equestrian set — a very active sector in this part of the world.
“It will make whatever it will make,” says Michael rather philosophically, before adding: “I think that there will be a lot of interest in the farmhouse with the nine acres and the bungalow. I think that breaking it up in lots just might drive the price a bit.”
