LIFE BEYOND FIRST CLASS
Tulira Castle: Galway, Ireland
By: Carly Dolan
Tulira Castle Galway, Ireland
If the idea of investing in a majestic rural Irish property, preserving a piece of British history or living a romantic life in rural France sounds perfect to you, a European castle should be on your shopping list. What have traditionally been considered money pits can be just the opposite in financially difficult times, when the value of property dramatically decreases. And that appears to be the case in Europe right now, with historically significant and ultra-luxurious castles on the market for prices anywhere between $1 million and $10 million – a significant drop on their value just a few years ago.
Rich with architectural heritage, this historically-significant Irish castle is set within 250 acres of mature woods and parkland. The castle and grounds have been restored over the last 20 years to an immaculate condition and the property is now on the market for an extremely reasonable €6.5 million
($8.9 million).
“From all accounts, Ireland has hit bottom,” says Celia Lamb of Ganly Walters Country Homes, Farms and Estates. “Therefore, you are buying something at the very bottom of the market and from that point-of-view, you would hope in the long-term that it would increase in value. It’s such good value for money on the international market and it’s a fantastic opportunity to buy in Ireland right now.” She believes there are several business opportunities at the castle, from running shoots and fishing to developing it into a boutique hotel, equestrian facility or farm. “It would also make great corporate headquarters as you can fly into Shannon international airport and be here in a half hour,” she adds.
The weekly rental value for private hire is conservatively estimated at €10,000 ($13,500) to €20,000 ($27,200), according to Celia.
For more information on Tulira Castle,visit www.ganlywalters.ie
