Sherry FitzGerald has announced the appointment of veteran (and sometimes maverick) auctioneer Robert Ganly to a business development role in its country homes and residential sales division.
The move will come as something of a surprise within the property industry where Ganly has long ploughed his own furrow – most recently under the Ganly Walters trading name.
The move draws a line under the Ganly Walters business after many months of speculation. The company, which can trace its origins back to 1847, had seen something of a revival in 2013 when Ganly moved on from the Knight Frank franchise to trade as Ganly Walters – financed by a substantial investment from business partner Karen Erwin, former partner with A&L Goodbody Solicitors and a former executive director with The Irish Times.
In the business since 1973, Ganly is widely known in the estate agency business, in particular in the country homes and land market. Despite the apparent difficulties of keeping the business afloat, Ganly managed to bag two of the biggest residential sales in the State last year.
In late 2017 he sold Danes Hollow in Howth, the spectacular coastal home of Riverdance couple Moya Doherty and John McColgan, for €8 million to concert promoter Peter Aiken of Aiken Promotions, and he was behind the sale last year of Westport House in Co Mayo, for around €5.5 million to the Westport-based Hughes brothers.
The marriage with Sherry Fitz is an interesting one for Ganly. He would not be known as a company man, though he will find himself in good company with former colleagues, not least Roseanne de Vere Hunt head of Sherry Fitz Country Homes and Estates who previously worked for Ganly at Knight Frank.
Michael Grehan, managing director of Sherry FitzGerald said: “Robert’s appointment reflects the strength of the country homes sector and our clients will benefit greatly from his broad experience He will work closely with our country homes team, our Dublin branch offices and our network of franchised offices across the country.”
Once more unto the breach.
