Rich pickings in the midlands
REGULAR readers of these pages will know that Laois holds a special place in my affections. I’m always happy to avail of an opportunity to return to the midland county and a trip down memory lane.
While house hunting in the land of the O’Moores some 18 years ago I was always attracted by that lovely placename, Shanahoe, from the Irish ‘Seanchua’ meaning the Old Hollow.
Last week I went to visit ‘Sunberry’, a residential farm with 82ac at a place called Poormansbridge between Shanahoe and Abbeyleix.
The farm is located 3km from Abbeyleix, 12km from Junction 17 on the M7 and 13km from Mountrath.
The property also comes with 9ac of grazing ground at Ballymullen off the old Cork road on the Durrow side of Abbey- leix. The entire is guided at around €1.04m.
Poormansbridge gets its name from a local bridge over the Nore, which, according to local lore, was the only bridge over the river that did not command a toll. There is nothing poor about the farm I visited.
It is a fine 19th century farmhouse with a traditional courtyard of sheds to the side, while to the rear is a lovely lawned area contained within a dry stone wall.
The accommodation includes two elegant reception rooms at either side of the front hallway, one set out as a dining room the other as a drawing room, both spaces have high ceilings, elegant fireplaces and ornate plasterwork.
Upstairs are four bedrooms, two spacious rooms with lovely views over the land, a box room, a medium sized bedroom and a fully equipped family bathroom. The farmyard is made up of a series of traditional buildings all in very good order.
On the opposite side of the yard is a range of storage sheds also in top class condition.
The land is excellent dry ground set out in a number of lots with plenty of road frontage.
The ground around the house extends to 61ac in nine fields with road frontage on to a country road to the front and limited frontage to a lane to the side. These fields are all elevated at the centre and run down to a brook that bounds the farm at the back.
Grazing ground
The land is the best of grazing ground and was perfectly dry underfoot even after the recent rainfall.
The divisions are bounded by traditional hedgerow and there are also some lovely stands of old trees around the farm.
Across the road from the house is an 11ac parcel laid out in four fields with substantial road frontage to the country road and frontage on to a lane known as Tealane.
The ground here is more low lying with internal hedges and growth that may need some attention. It is nevertheless good grazing land.
A further 10ac parcel is located across the lane from the main holding. This parcel of land is made up of top class elevated grazing ground.
A parcel of ground extending to 9ac is located away from the main farm at Ballymullen on the Durrow side of Abbeyleix.
Located on the lower Ballinakill road off the old Cork road and 400m from the town, the parcel is in two divisions of 3.8ac and 5.4ac and the selling agent, Portlaoise auctioneer John Moran, says it has site The farmhouse and 82ac is located near Shanahoe, Co Laois and is guided at €1.04m potential subject to planning. He describes the holding as one of the finest farms to come for sale in the area in some time.
He is guiding the price of the house and 61ac at €12,000/ ac while the guide on the 10ac parcel is €11,000/ac, the 11ac parcel is at between €8,000 and €10,000/ac while the piece of land at Ballymullen is guided at €100,000.