Eleven acres of land, left by a bachelor farmer to a home for the elderly in Cork, has been sold at auction for €27.5 million.
The land, on the outskirts of Cork city, was left to St Luke's home for the elderly by the late Sidney Northridge. St Luke's employs 186 staff in providing care for people of all denominations and none.
It was founded in 1872 by Frances Gregg, daughter of the Right Rev John Gregg, then bishop of Cork, later archbishop of Dublin and then primate of all Ireland.
Following the auction, the chairman of St Luke's board of directors and Bishop of Cork, Right Rev Paul Colton, said: "We are immensely grateful for this magnificent bequest from Sidney Northridge."
He said the gift was most welcome as the home had incurred large expenses in moving from its different city locations to Blackrock and in building a facility regarded as a prototype for services for the elderly.