At the Warrenstown House auction at the Property Exchange, Trim, were Fr Hennessy, Pat Ryan solicitor, Fr Brewster,Fr Van Gucht, Br O'Hare , Elliott Potterton, Fr Nyland, Thomas Potterton, Fr Harrington, Fr Casey and Br McDonald.

Warrenstown house sold by salesians

The Salesian residence at Warrenstown House, and an adjoining 72 acres of farmland, was sold for €920,000 at auction by Thomas Potterton last week.
There were three bidders in the final shake-up which saw a local business family purchase the property in the Skane Valley, between Dunsany and Drumree.
Pottertons had been guiding €650,000 - €700,000 for the property, but tremendous interest from across the country, as well as the UK and America, saw the bidding climb. Thomas Potterton reported a great interest from past pupils of the college of agriculture and horticulture, particularly from ex-pats living in England.
The underbidder was a London party represented by a Dublin solicitor.
Bidding opened at €500,000, and swiftly rose to €800,000, with four bidders involved, including a Wexford party. This became three, and at €850,000, became two, until the final price of €920,000 was achieved. The buyers will more than likely live in the property for a while until deciding what type of project to carry out there.
Elizabeth Lynch, a descendant of the Warren family, bequeated the property to a religious order for educational purposes, and the Salesians of Don Bosco came to Warrenstown in 1922, opening an agricultural college in 1923. The original house is thought to date back to the early 17th century and was subsequently extended in the 18th and 19th centuries. A single storey extension was added to the rear of the house in the mid 1900s. In 2001 extensive renovations were carried out by the vendors including re-roofing. The accommodation includes three large well-proportioned reception rooms, studies/offices, bathrooms and 10 bedrooms. The property retains all the charm and dignity of a period house and many original features remain intact including richly corniced ceilings, mouldings and architraves, windows shutters and a grand sweeping double return staircase.
Out offices include a coachyard, cut stone lofted buildings accommodating extensive stabling, tack rooms, cattle stalls, a coachman’s house, forge of attractive mellow brick under a pitched slate roof, bell tower, outer yard comprising five large glass houses, mushroom tunnels, workshops and two large machinery sheds with sliding doors.
The lands in total extend to 72 acres/29 hectares. There are approximately 25 acres of forestry mainly oak, beech and some Scots pine, which attracts an annual premium of about €1,620 per annum. The remaining lands are principally laid out in one division of permanent pasture bordered by the River Skane.