Ireland's most expensive properties sold in 2021

The most valuable home sold in Cork last year was the Rocket House — a former coastguard station in the West Cork village of Castletownshend — which fetched over €2.5m.

The residential property market bounced back last year following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, with the value of houses and apartments sold up 21%.

An analysis of the Residential Property Price Register shows the total value of all homes sold during 2021 was more than €19.6bn — an annual increase of €3.4bn.

The figures were boosted by the sale of entire new housing estates and apartments blocks by developers to real estate investment firms.

The number of sales of houses and apartments was up 15.5% to almost 57,000, although about 200 sales incorporated numerous housing units.

The number of sales recorded on the register was up more than 7,600 on the previous year.

A total of 56,992 sales were registered last year, which was down just 3.3% on pre-Covid levels of almost 59,000 in 2019.

The figures show homes in Dublin accounted for almost three of every 10 sales, while almost 80% of all residential sales over €1m related to properties in Dublin.

Prices in excess of €1m were secured for the sale of over 1,300 properties, of which 88 fetched over €5m.

However, the majority of the most expensive transactions involved sales of new housing developments to investors.

Largest deals

The single biggest deal registered last year was €170.1m paid for the development of 435 apartments being constructed by Seán Mulryan’s Ballymore Group at Royal Canal Park in Pelletstown, Dublin 15.

The 8th Lock residential quarter, which consists of five apartment blocks ranging from four to 13 storeys in height, is not due to be completed before March 2025.

The purchaser, Union Investment — the investment division of Germany’s second-largest banking group, DZ Bank, is behind one of the first major property deals in Ireland where forward funding is provided by the end investor.

The second-largest figure was €57.9m spent on 151 apartments at the Beech Park complex being developed by the O’Flynn Group in Cabinteely, Co Dublin. 

The most expensive residential property deal outside Dublin last year was €23.9m for 71 apartments at Dargan Hall in Bray, Co Wicklow.

The highest price for a single home was the €13.25m paid for Lissadell — a detached Edwardian home in the Ballsbridge “embassy belt” of Shrewsbury Road — which is believed to have been bought by property developer, Pat Crean, the chief executive of the Marlet Group.

The luxury mansion, which was extended by its previous owner, the Northern-Ireland born investment banker Martin Shields and his wife, Francesca McWilliams, contains a swimming pool, wine cellar and staff accommodation.

Abbey Leix Estate in Abbeyleix was bought for 11.5m by John Collison co-founder, with his brother Patrick, of the online payments platform Stripe.

The second-highest price for a property was the €11.5m spent by one of Ireland’s richest people, John Collison, on acquiring an 18th-century stately mansion on the Abbey Leix Estate in Abbeyleix, Co Laois.

The Limerick-born co-founder of Stripe is believed to have paid about €20m for the entire estate, which includes 10 estate houses and cottages and a stud farm.

The house, which is the ancestral home of the de Vesci family, was previously owned by businessman Sir David Davies.

Mr Collison and his brother, Patrick, who co-founded the online payments platform, had their personal wealth estimated at €9.65bn each by the Bloomberg Billionaire Index last year.

The third most valuable residential sale was the €10.65m paid for Sorento House — the end-of-terrace villa on what is regarded as Ireland’s most expensive address, Sorento Terrace overlooking Killiney Bay.

The house with panoramic views of Dalkey Island, Killiney Hill, Bray Head and the Sugarloaf was sold by the British IT recruitment entrepreneur Bill Bottriell to an unnamed UK-based Irish businessman.

Other high-value transactions included a figure of just over €3m paid for Lough Rusheen House in Knocknacarra, Co Galway — a luxury country home on the shores of Galway Bay.

A country mansion in Co Limerick that has been described as one of the finest homes in Ireland — Fedamore House in Fedamore — was sold for €2.6m.

The large estate, which was previously owned by Gerry McManus — the younger brother of well-known businessman and horse-owner, J P McManus — is listed in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage and includes a full-size indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, cinema, gym and floodlit astro-turf pitch.

Dunbrody House in Duncannon, Co Wexford, run by well-known chef Kevin Dundon and his wife, Catherine was put on the market for over €2.15m in May last year. Picture: Arthur Ellis

The most valuable home sold in Cork last year was the Rocket House — a former coastguard station in the West Cork village of Castletownshend — which fetched over €2.5m, well above its original asking price of just under €2m.

The Residential Property Price Register lists the sale of the award-winning country house and restaurant, Dunbrody House in Duncannon, Co Wexford, run by well-known chef Kevin Dundon and his wife, Catherine for over €2.15m in May last year.

However, the deal is believed to relate to a transaction among companies owned by the Dundons, which is similar to another intra-company sale of the property in 2015 for a similar price.

Most valuable properties by county

County	Address	Price (€)
Carlow	Milford House, Milford, Carlow	€1,125,000
Cavan	Lough Sillan House,Carrickacreeny, Shercock	€1,000,000
Clare	The Old Rectory, Mountshannon	€1,500,000
Cork	The Rocket House, Castletownshend	€2,549,990
Donegal	Apple Tree House, Gortflugh, Rathmullen	€1,070,000
Dublin	Lissadell, 9 Shrewsbury Road, Ballsbridge	€13,250,000
Galway	Lough Rusheen House, Barna Road, Knocknacarra	€3,020,000
Kerry	Cosha North And Treanmana, Madam'S Island (2), County Kerry	€1,270,000
Kildare	20 Churchfields, The K Club, Straffan	€2,000,000
Kilkenny	Kilcreene Lodge, Kilkenny, Kilkenny	€4,250,000
Laois	Abbeyleix Est, Abbeyleix, Laois	€11,500,000
Leitrim	Hillview, Hartley, Carrick On Shannon	€405,000
Limerick	Fedamore House, Fedamore, Limerick	€2,600,000
Longford	Viewmount House, Viewmount, Dublin Rd	€955,000
Louth	Roxbury House, Cartown, Termonfeckin	€1,350,000
Mayo	Helensville, Rosberg, Westport	€1,250,000
Meath	Headfort Court, Kells, Meath	€1,150,000
Monaghan	Greaghdrumneisk, Carrickmacross, Monaghan	€580,000
Offaly	5 Johns Mall, Birr, Offaly	€670,000
Roscommon	Barrymore, Athlone, Co Roscommon	€820,000
Sligo	20 Dorrins Strand, Strandhill, Sligo	€705,000
Tipperary	Garry Kennedy House, Portroe, Tipperary	€1,400,000
Waterford	Salterbridge House, Salterbridge, Cappoquin	€2,270,000
Westmeath	Dunboden House, Dunboden Estate, Gaybrook     Mullingar	€805,000
Wexford	Clonganny House, Ballygarret, Gorey	€1,477,750
Wicklow	Dunsallagh House, Kilgarron Hill, Enniskerry	€2,350,000