A 76-acre parcel in south Clare is already exceeding price expectations

Holding features a mixture of land — some is pastureland but parts of it are ideal for forestry plantation

An aerial picture of the 76-acre farm for sale near Kilkeen, Co Clare.

The N67 between Kilrush and Kilkee may be a route more well-known to beach-bound tourists heading towards Loop Head than to farmers/investors looking for interesting pieces of land. 

However, when the right kind of holding comes along, there is always going to be interest from a number of sources.

A current offering from Ennis-based auctioneers Sherry Fitzgerald McMahon may appear to be a somewhat unremarkable farm on first analysis, but it has a lot of important elements going for it — so much so that it has already entailed a number of bids on the property.

The farm is located just north of the hamlet of Moyasta — site of the famous West Clare Railway Heritage Museum. 

It is 7km from Kilkee and 6km from Kilrush on a scenic stretch of roadway, with impressive views south over the Shannon Estuary towards Kerry.

“There’s a mixture of land in it,” says selling agent Diarmuid McMahon. 

“A portion of it is already planted with forestry. Some of it is probably better than forestry-grade land but parts of it are ideal for forestry plantation.”

There’s a good mixture in it but I would say that the majority of it is more suitable for forestry, with some pastureland within it.

There has been what one could describe as a mild gold rush on potential forestry land in recent years, with the large plantations in convenient locations getting prices that have pushed values from around €3,000 per acre up to €6,000 per acre in some cases. 

The rising difficulties in getting permission to plant has seen less activity in the sector but there are plenty of clients waiting in the wings for the right opportunity.

This holding has a price guide of €375,000 (€4,900/acre) but that level has already been surpassed and it is currently under offer in excess of the asking price, the selling agent confirms.

“It’s difficult enough to get a holding of that scale, and particularly one with good access out onto a national primary route,” explains Diarmuid. 

“So this property has good access for large vehicles, a good road infrastructure around it (the farm also has additional road frontage on its easter bounds) and it’s in a decent-sized block... Those factors will draw interest. 

"Sometimes — and particularly in West Clare — it can be difficult to get properties of sufficient enough size to draw interest; difficult to get all those elements together. And this piece of land definitely has it.”