John Magnier, the Coolmore boss, has been confirmed as an investor in the company that successfully bought the 325-hectare (815 acre) Rockwell Farm in Co Tipperary last year.
A new company, Bovinae Investments, which was incorporated last year, has registered its ownership of the various plots of land that made up the Rockwell Farm sold by the Spiritan order with a guide price of €21 million.
Rockwell, one of the largest farms in Co Tipperary, surrounds Rockwell College, the co-educational boarding and day school established in 1864 and run by the Spiritans.
Bovinae’s directors are Michael McElligott and Fintan Flood. McElligott is a founder of Tetrarch Capital, the firm that sold the Citywest hotel complex to the State for €148 million last year.
A statement from a spokesman for McElligott confirmed that the Magnier family, who are behind the world-leading Coolmore bloodstock business, are co-investors in Bovinae.
He said the company planned to expand the existing dairy operation in Rockwell from its current herd of 621 cows to 1,000 by 2029.
“Bovinae was incorporated by Michael McElligott and Fintan Flood in 2025,” he said.
The spokesman said the company planned to focus on “long-term investment opportunities in the dairy farm sector.
“We perceived Rockwell as a once-in-a-generation acquisition opportunity and, following a competitive sales process, we were pleased to conclude this purchase in December 2025,” he said.
Following the purchase, the company “developed multimillion euro investment plans to grow the herd to upwards of 1,000 cows and to further enhance the farm’s infrastructure and facilities.
“We also received approaches from a number of interested parties and indeed initiated contact with a number of other parties about potentially partnering with Bovinae to grow the farm and its dairy herd. We are pleased to confirm we have agreed terms that will see the Magnier family coinvest in Bovinae,” he said.
“Our focus is on ensuring Rockwell Farm will remain one of Ireland’s premier dairy farms and a major contributor to the local dairy industry and economy.”
Sherry FitzGerald described the sale as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to purchase one of Ireland’s best and biggest farms”. It is not clear how much Bovinae paid for the farm but sources said bidding went in excess of €26 million.
The proceeds of the sale are expected to go towards paying the cost of compensation of victims of abuse at schools run by the Spiritan Order.
Sources in Tipperary said they expect Coolmore to provide assistance as Bovinae seeks to scale up investment in Rockwell.
It has been reported that Magnier, his family and related Coolmore entities own more than 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) of farmland in Tipperary, with most of that used for horses or as tillage land.
A statement from the Magnier family said: “The Magnier family has huge respect for Michael McElligott and Fintan Flood and are pleased to support their ambition and plans for Rockwell Farm.”