A lively hybrid auction, held in a byre at Coolarty and live-streamed on the LSL platform, delivered a record-breaking price for Longford land of almost €11,000/ac.

Up to 230 people engaged online and a limited number attended in person. Sitting on socially distanced chairs set out in the byre on a fresh covering of sawdust, they saw auctioneer Eamonn Gaffney sell an 86ac residential farm for €940,000, €70 shy of €11,000/ac.

“I’d imagine that’s the largest sum of money you ever spent in a cowhouse,” said Mr Gaffney to the successful bidder, an estate agent acting for an investor client.

The farm is on the N55 between Edgeworthstown and Granard and was home to the late Martin Clyne, a renowned Charolais breeder and GAA activist.

It came with a three-bedroom bungalow in need of attention and a good range of farm buildings, including slatted sheds and fodder storage.

Described as good fattening ground, the holding drew strong interest in lots and as an entire. The first lot, made up of 63ac with the house and yard, attracted two bidders and after three rounds of bidding was withdrawn at €580,000 in favour of the entire.

A 23ac parcel with frontage on to the N55 opened at €150,000 and after three rounds of bidding was withdrawn at €220,000 in favour of the entire.

The entire comprising 86ac with the house and sheds opened at €680,000. Beginning with three bidders, two bidders stayed the course and by the time the hammer fell the property made €940,000.

A delighted Mr Gaffney said he has a number of investors on his books looking for sizeable farms in the Cavan/Longford area.

Arklow

In Wicklow, a 35ac roadside holding at Ashwood Upper, 5km south of Arklow sold at online auction for €357,000.

The farmland is described by auctioneer David Quinn as comprising heavier soil in an area of good quality grassland. With excellent road frontage there is potential for the construction of a dwelling.

At auction on the LSL platform our active bidders drove the price to €300,000 at which point the holding went on the market. It sold at €357,000 to an adjoining dairy farmer.

Monageer

In Co Wexford Mr Quinn sold a 27ac parcel of ground at Knockduff, Monageer in two lots for a combined €405,000.

Located 2km from Monageer village and 8km from Ferns the farm is accessed over a registered right of way.

The ground is of mixed quality and the holding also includes a single-storey derelict cottage with an adjoining shed.

At auction, with eight bidders in action, the lots won the day. After three rounds of bidding they had gathered a combined €405,000, while the entire held at €400,000.

An 11.8ac piece sold to an adjoining dairy farmer for €175,000 while 15ac with the derelict farmhouse made €240,000.

Tinahely

Alan Kinsella of Kinsella Estates brought a 29ac roadside Tinahely farm to auction in lots and saw it make €305,000 or over €10,000/ac, well ahead of its guide of €215,000.

The Wicklow holding with about 450m in road frontage is located between Tinahely and Shillelagh and is currently in grass .

On the day a 19.4ac parcel sold for €185,000 to a local farming family with business interests while a parcel of 9.8ac sold for €120,000 to a young local businessman whose family farm adjoins the property. In total the place made €305,000,

Moyvore

A 75ac residential farm at Moyvore in Co Westmeath sold online for €525,000, exceeding its guide by €50,000.

Located between Ballymahon and Mullingar, the property is situated at a crossroads and has over 1km of frontage on two roads.

The place is described by Dillon Murtagh of Murtagh Bros as a grass farm with superb potential but the ground, the residence and the outbuildings are in need of attention.

On the day, four bidders showed cause when it opened at €350,000 and the price rose rapidly until a recess at €490,000. The property eventually sold at €525,000 to a local.