Limerick holding brings back some golden memories

WRITING about the auction of a 51ac grass farm near Shanagolden in Co Limerick brings back memories.

The West Limerick parish in question isn’t a million miles from my home turf.

In fact, I bought my first alcoholic drink in a pub in the village of Shanagolden over four decades ago and, aside from occasional bouts of abstention, I’ve continued to invest modestly in the drinks industry since.

Shanagolden had a very fine parish hall that transmogrified into a dancehall on Saturday nights; it was the social hot spot for the late teens and young adults of West Limerick.

If one couldn’t get to Shanagolden on Saturday night there was always the Olympic Ballroom in Newcastlewest on Sunday night.

I have reason to remember the pub in Shanagolden and that first drink. I approached the bar with trepidation, con- scious that my boyish looks might elicit a refusal from the rather austere barman.

As I called for the pints my attempts at nonchalance dissolved and I spoonerised the drinks orderasking for ‘two sharp handies’ rather than two Harp shandies.

Back to the matter in hand and the sale by auctioneer Charles O’Brien of the 51ac farm at Lower Shanid.

The holding fronts on to the R521 and is almost 2km from Shanagolden on the Newcastlewest side.

The road bisects the farm leaving a parcel of 16ac on the right hand side and 35ac on the other. The 16ac piece comes with a derelict residence and a cattle crush with water supplied by a local stream.

The presence of the old house and two entrances to the property from the road could be advantageous if planning permission should be sought.

In any event, this is a fine parcel of ground, elevated and free draining with water supplied by a stream.

The larger 35ac parcel at the other side of the road is somewhat lower than the smaller section and comes without buildings.

Divided into six fields it too is watered by a stream and has access from two entrances. The portion is described by Mr O’Brien as made up of good grazing ground that produced a fine crop of silage last year.

While reluctant to give a guide price, the auctioneer agreed that land in the area has been making from €8,000/ ac to €12,000/ac depending on the quality of the ground and the local appetite for farming property.

Mr O’Brien anticipates that values of this kind will apply when both sections are brought to auction as lots at the Longcourt Hotel, Newcastlewest, Co Limerick at 3pm on Wednesday, March 28.

CORK AUCTION

Further south this Friday sees Fermoy auctioneer, Michael Barry, handle the sale by auction of a 49ac farm at Castleblagh, Ballyhooly in Co Cork.

The farm is divided by a local road and comes with a guide of €8,000/ac.

Located 5km from Ballyhooly and 14km from Fermoy, the holding is the subject of an executor sale.

The farm is in two sections with a 10ac parcel at the upper side of the road and a 19ac section at the lower side.

The ground is described as good grazing land with the 10ac making up the upper portion being somewhat better than the lower 19ac portion, which tends to be softer in nature.

Michael Barry is hopeful of a good auction when the place comes for sale on Friday.

“It is hard to gauge the level of interest in farmland given the recent weather but on the day you can be surprised where the interest comes from,” he said.

The auction takes place at the Grand Hotel, Fermoy, this Friday, March 9 at 3pm.