A Co Kildare golf course with a 19th-century Palladian mansion, offered for sale during the summer at a knockdown price of €800,000, has been sold to a UK company after attracting interest from many parts of the world.
The Warwickshire-based company, St Francis Group, which specialises in "problematic sites", outbid nine other bidders at €1.1 to buy Knockanally House and the 18-hole golf course between Kilcock and Donadea which was put on the market on the instructions of receiver Tom Kavanagh of Kavanaghfennell.
James Meagher,whose estate agency recently merged with Knight Frank, said the golf course attracted interest from as far away at India, Pakistan, Malasia, Australia, the United States as well as many parts of the Continent.
300 members
There were also more than 2,500 hits on internet marketing sites and in the end there were 10 bidders for the golf course. Some of them had plans to turn the 8,000 sq ft period house back into a private home and to convert the carefully manicured golf course into a farming estate.
Meagher said the level of international interest clearly showed that there were keen eyes firmly placed on some parts of the Irish property market because of the perception that there was good value available as a result of the 2008 crash.
Knockanally had been valued at €3.5 to €4 million after owner Noel Lyons developed a gate lodge and five two and three-bedroom golf lodges on the grounds. They are included in the sale.
The golf course opened in 1985 and has more than 300 members who each pay an annual subscription of €810.
While a majority of the members reside in Co Kildare, the course has consistently attracted a considerable number of Dublin golfers because of its convenient location within 6.5 km from Exit 9 on the M4 motorway. Dublin is within 40 minutes’ drive of the golf course.
However, with no fewer than 20 golf courses in Co Kildare, Knockanally has been finding it difficult to retain the support of Dublin-based golfers who are being constantly bombarded with offers from competing clubs.
St Francis, who is known as the parton saint of animals and the environment, may yet intervene.
