THE EARLY YEARS
I first started working in the property business in 1968 and in February of that year I joined a company called Hassett and Fitzsimons, originally in Marlborough Street and then moved to 51 Dawson Street where Colliers are based now. I studied in the College of Commerce in Rathmines and obtained a Diploma in Auctioneering and Estate Agency (Dip AEA).
I remained with them until 1971 and then joined up with a great pal of mine Gerry Slattery, a former President of the IAVI, who was CEO of Warren Estates, based in Gorey and Enniscorthy. I joined them with a view to opening an office in Carlow where I was from. We set up in Dublin Street in Carlow.

LAND PRICES BACK IN THE DAY !

The price of land in 1969/1970 was £300 per acre and subsequently when I joined Warrens it was approximately £500 per acre. I remember selling 150 acres on the Carlow/Wexford border for £500 per acre which was £75,000. I had to include a spring crop of corn to get the deal over the line, so it was a difficult time.

ON TO PASTURES NEW

I stayed with Warren Estates until 1977 and was very pally with a great friend, the late Johnny Harrington who subsequently married Jessica Harrington the well known trainer from Moone. I used to play golf with Johnny. Johnny asked me to join CBA and I set up CBA Estates in 1977.

In the early 80’s land was making something in the region of £3,000 per acre which was a great price. Having set up CBA Estates with the Curragh Bloodstock Agency in 1977 we became involved in the sale and purchase of stud farms, racing stables and country properties in general and this was the beginning of the arrival of Arab clients.

STUD FARM VENTURES BEGIN

I sold the Woodpark Stud in Dunboyne which was the first stud farm in Ireland to be bought by Sheikh Mohammed, who flew in his own private 737. Peter McKeever, Colonel Dick Warden and myself collected him at the airport and brought him to look at the farm which comprised 365 acres. We brought him back to the airport in the afternoon having sold the property to him. Dick Warden was well known in the bloodstock industry and worked in the Middle East with MI5 after the war and became a great friend of Sheikh Mohammed. His first horse Hatta was very successful. After that he got the bug.

Sheikh Mohammed became very involved in the bloodstock industry and we subsequently sold him Kildangan Stud on 900 Acres and Old Connell Stud on 520 acres. Other properties sold at that time included New Abbey Stud which was sold to Prince Khalid Abdullah who sadly passed away since.

Over the years I also sold Baroda Stud in Newbridge, Kilfrush Stud on 300 acres in Limerick, Castlemartin Stud on 750 acres in Kilcullen and St. Edmundsbury in Lucan on c. 240 acres. Another well-known sale that was conducted by myself is the €17.5m sale for a farm called Pass House in Ballyroan. This was a 300 odd acre property and sold by public auction in 2006. The €17.5 selling price was an extraordinary price for an agricultural property at the time. There was also Scorduff in Roscrea which made €10m at auction along with the sale of a lovely country property, McGillycuddy of the Reeks, outside of Beaufort in Killarney.

JORDAN AUCTIONEERS IS BORN

I left CBA in 1992 and set up Paddy Jordan Limited shortly after. Joined by Liam Hargaden who had been working with me in CBA. His father John Hargaden was a great pal of mine. He asked me to take his son on for a weeks work experience, that was 30 years ago and Liam is still with me today. The late great Michael McHugh had been working with me and had gotten seriously ill and sadly died in October 1992. Michael had been mentoring Liam as I subsequently did and as I say the rest is history.

Clive Kavanagh from Athy joined Paddy Jordan Limited in 2003. A raw recruit having just graduated from Bolton Street. Clive has since been working with me in the Country & Land Dept looking after country properties, stud farms, racing stables and agricultural land. Mark Neylon then joined us in 2013. Mark completed a BSc (Hons) in Property Economics in DIT in 2009 besides growing up in a household that worked in the property industry and having previously worked for Sherry Fitzgerald. Later on that year Stephen Talbot joined the team. Stephen a qualified Chartered Surveyor and RICS Registered Valuer comes from an agricultural background, educated in Kilkenny College and having completed a BSc (Surv) in Property economics from DIT Bolton Street and now works in our Commercial Dept specialising in valuations, rent reviews and sales.

The team comprises of 5 fully qualified Chartered Surveyors and support staff and prides itself on being one of the leading practices in the Kildare Area.

MEMORABLE PROPERTIES

During this time there are several properties that we have sold 3 or 4 times which we like to think is a good recommendation. It’s all about crafting relationships. For me establishing contacts and staying in touch with our clients, both purchasers and vendors, providing a first class service.

Some of these properties include:

Lincoln Lodge, Rathbride, The Curragh – which was originally owned by the well-known trainer Stephen Quirke. We sold this property 4 times over the last 40 years.
Mill House, Ballyshannon, Kilcullen – we sold this property 3 times.
Cloughgarrett House in Kildare – we sold this property 3 times.
Crotanstown Lodge on the Curragh - we sold this property 3 times.

A WORD TO THE WISE

I am a firm believer in the old adage “the day you buy is the day you sell” and “if you buy in a good location you will be selling in a good location” – good land is always good land and bad land is always bad land.

PADDY JORDAN’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE PROPERTY FIELD

THE EARLY YEARS