A 300ac mountain hillside farm set in a remote and beautiful part of Co. Kerry is to go under the hammer next month.
The lands at Gearhameen are located in the Black Valley which has the distinction of being among the last places on mainland Ireland to be connected to the national electricity grid in 1976.
Also known locally as Cummeenduff, the Black Valley, at the southern end of the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range between the Gap of Dunloe and Moll’s Gap, is a popular destination for hikers, walkers and cyclists.
The farm is part of the Purple Mountain range and commands views over Killarney National Park along with the famous lakes of Killarney.
Access to the holding, which has been used as a sheep farm, is adjacent to the Black Valley National School.
The 300ac, including 104 entitlements transferring with the sale, is to be auctioned by Tom Spillane of Tom Spillane and Company Ltd. at The Royal Hotel in Killarney on Wednesday, May 10, at 3:00p.m.
The auctioneer told Agriland that the farm would be suitable for an upland sheep enterprise, organic farming and young farmers.
“It opens up lots of opportunities,” Spillane said.
“In terms of terrain, it’s difficult land but that said, there are parts of it which would be well regarded in the summer as good quality grazing ground for Scotch sheep which were grazed on it before,” he added.
The farm has a guide price of €1,500/ac and above or around €450,000.
Despite only recently being brought to market, the land is already attracting good interest from prospective buyers.
“Let’s see what the demand is on the day and let’s see where it will be driven to. I know already that there is serious interest in this. Young farmers have a serious interest in this,” Spillane said.