Hollywood star buyer of lakeside Mountnugent hideaway

Movie star Will Ferrell is reported to have bought an Irish lakeside retreat on the shores of Lough Sheelin in Mountnugent.

The actor, who has Longford roots, is believed to be the buyer of Arley, at Crover, where Meath-based auctioneer Damien Matthews is conducting a clearance auction this weekend.

A former holiday home built for Lord Farnham of Cavan, the property has been home in recent years to an Irish film industry executive, and it has been on the market, asking €700,000, with Savills.

This week, Savills wouldn't reveal who has purchased the property but said contracts have been exchanged.

Arley has only changed hands once before  in its 400-year history through private exchange between Lord Farnham of the Maxwell Family and the current owner.  The present owner acquired the property about 30 years ago and constructed a new house which extends to over 5,000 square feet. The house occupies an extremely private, southerly facing aspect which is well positioned for the excellent views over Lough Sheelin. The property includes a boathouse which can house two boats.  Arley lies within well-maintained, grounds which predominantly comprise mature woods providing shelter, privacy and amenity in the form of pleasant walks and a network of paths.

Last year, Ferrell, while lining out alongside his 'Daddy's Home 2' co-stars, Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson and John Lithgow for an interview with Dermot & Dave of Today FM, proudly wore his Glennon Brothers sponsored Longford GAA jersey.  The actor, who takes a keen interest in his Irish roots, visited Longford in 2008, accompanied by his father and brother. 
The actor later spoke of his visit to Longford, and an evening spent in Eamon Farrell’s pub, during an interview on one of the USA’s most-watched chat shows, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg interviewd on Today FM's Dermot and Dave last weekend.

“We took two weeks to travel around the countryside and stopped in County Longford,” he said at the time. “That’s where all the Farrells are from. We wanted to do some research and we were told to go to Eamon Farrell’s pub, which is a real place. We went there in the afternoon and said hello and said we might stop by later that night. Well, we came by and there were literally a thousand people there who all said they were Farrells. I must have taken a hundred photos, and we ended up in some guy’s house at three in the morning, my body shaved.”
Mr Ferrell, along with Wahlberg, Gibson and Lithgow, were in Dublin's Twenty Two for an exclusive live interview with Dermot & Dave.  He  spoke about his Longford jersey, which features his name 'Will' on the back, and at it is also mentioned about  Mel Gibson's mother hailing from Longford.

Matthews Auctioneers of Oldcastle conduct a two-day on the premises house clearance auction on Saturday and Sunday, 20th and 21st October, at 1.30pm each day. Damien Matthews says it will be : “Without doubt, one of the most interesting house contents auctions we’ve held to date”. Catalogue and viewing details can be viewed on the auctioneer’s website www.matthewsauctionrooms.com.