Co Kerry's iconic Conor Pass, one of the best-known driving routes in Ireland, has gone up for sale for €10 million.
The landmark holding features 400 acres of forestry in addition to almost 1,000 acres for agriculture and mountain grazing.
Conor Pass is one of the most scenic mountain routes in Ireland and is popular among cyclists and motorists alike. The pass reaches 1,496 ft in height and connects Dingle with Brandon Bay and Castlegregory. The narrow road, which is only wide enough for one car at points, weaves its way around steep cliffs and offers stunning views of lakes, mountains, and valleys.
The land also includes a waterfall and three lakes, Pedlar’s Atlea, Beirne, and Clogharee.
It was last put on the market in 2007 with an asking price of just over €5 million. However, it was taken off the market due to the 2008 financial crash.
US owner Mike Noonan has put the holding on the market, explaining that he wants to spend more time with his grandchildren.
Noonan, whose family comes from Tipperary, told RTÉ's Liveline with Katie Hannon that he would not rush into a sale, adding that he wants to keep the property together.
He also explained that he wants the Irish public to continue to enjoy the land after he sells it.
"I'm just looking for somebody that wants to keep it together," Noonan told Hannon.
"It would be nice if the Government would look at it as far as a park or anything like that.
"Because the Irish people should enjoy it. I don’t want to break it up because there are so many hill walkers and everything that enjoy their time there.
"I would hate to have a person that buys it that is not open to the communities around Dingle."
Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne has called on the Government to buy the land and convert it into a national park to safeguard its future.
"The sale of Conor Pass presents a real opportunity for the State to purchase one of our most iconic and scenic locations and embark on a rewilding project," Byrne told RTÉ.
"In addition to its tourism potential, Conor Pass is also an important ecological asset and I believe that it is essential that we do everything we can to secure its future."
Dingle GP Peadar Ó Fionnáin told the Irish Times that locals would be in favor of the Government buying the land.
"People are talking all day [about the sale] and feel it should be in public ownership," Ó Fionnáin told the Irish Times.
"It is a stunning area. It is an iconic landscape. It could be very interesting for the National Parks and Wildlife Service in terms of showcasing what could be done with uplands, properly managed."
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