A ‘farmer’s dream’ in the Boyne valley
IT IS no accident that the birthplace of farming in Ireland is to be found in our ‘Valley of the Kings”, the Boyne Valley. The land on the banks of the historic river has to be among the best in the country.
Driving to see a 234ac farm at Gilltown near Slane, the very road signs provide evidence that human beings have been living off the soil in the surrounding fields for millennia.
Signs point you to the Hill of Slane, Newgrange and, of course, to the site where the famous Battle of the Boyne happened.
Located 7km from Slane off the N2, the farm at Gilltown (pictured right) is a magnificent non-residential tillage holding under wheat and stubble at the moment.
Planted from ditch to ditch, it is level, fertile and dry. All the fields are surrounded by magnificent hedgerows making the farm eminently suitable for livestock, cattle or dairy.
One small portion is in grass that has been cut and baled for silage and another is in set-aside.
The farm is coming to auction and will be offered as an entire or in four lots and is guided at €2.35m or €10,000/ac.
The first lot consists of 32ac in three fields of wheat with frontage on to 180m of road. The second lot is made up of 34ac in stubble, with 150m of road frontage and includes a two-column shed.
Across the road, the 168ac parcel is divided into two lots with the first consisting of 98ac in stubble and grass laid out in seven fields with 1,100m of road frontage. This section includes a five column slatted shed and yard. The final lot is made up of 70ac in stubble, laid out in six fields with 420m of frontage on three sides.
The property goes to auction at the Raymond Potterton auctioneers at 3pm on September 21.