Advising on the highest value Irish estate sold in 2023

We have acted for Devenish Nutrition Ltd on the sale of Dowth Hall Estate to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.  

Dowth Hall Estate sits on 552 acres in Drogheda and was sold to the National Parks and Wildlife section of the State’s Office of Public Works for €11 million. The sale was the highest value country home in Ireland sold in 2023. 

Comprising 6,000 years of documented history, the estate is one of the oldest farms in the world. Under the management of Devenish Nutrition, it has been home to ground-breaking food production research and is one of 12 exemplary sustainable farms worldwide. The farm has also been actively managed by Devenish Nutrition over the last decade to preserve its cultural heritage and biodiversity.

Incorporating Dowth Hall, an 18th-century Georgian residence, and Netterville Manor, a Victorian country house of architectural excellence, the estate includes hundreds of acres of rolling lands and woodlands along the Boyne River and occupies a large part of the archaeological site, which makes up the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage Site landscape encompassing Dowth passage tomb.

Commenting on the transaction, real estate partner Órlaith Molloy said: "It's been our pleasure to work with Devenish and support them on the sale of such a unique Irish landmark. With this transaction this important part of our heritage will continue to be preserved for future generations. We look forward to witnessing the further development of this special place under the stewardship of NPWS and to Devenish's accomplishments as the company continues its commitment to sustainability and their pioneering research in agriculture, biodiversity, environment, and archaeology."

Tony McEntee, CEO at Devenish Nutrition added: "As custodians of the lands for the last 10 years we at Devenish are very pleased that this uniquely important property along with the pioneering research that Devenish carried out on the lands has been acquired by the state on behalf of the people of Ireland. 

"We would like to thank Órlaith and the rest of the Taylor Wessing team for their legal expertise, commercial understanding and overall support throughout this significant and complex transaction. Their ability to understand both Devenish’s and the State’s objectives and align them with the legal requirements was instrumental in ensuring a seamless process in the successful sale of this extraordinary property." 

Led by partner Órlaith Molloy, Devenish Nutrition LTD was supported by senior associate Sarah Kelly in the real estate team.