GALLERY: Check out this world-renowned horse trainer's establishment with €4m price tag

Jim Bolger's Coolcullen home, stables and 150 acres up for sale - "Home of Champions"

03 May 2026, 18:00 by Niamh O'Donoghue · Leinster Leader

One of the most significant racehorse training establishments ever offered for sale in Ireland: Glebe House, Coolcullen, Co. Kilkenny, has come on the market.

The legendary home and training base of two-time Champion Trainer Jim Bolger is set on approximately 150 acres. For more than four decades, Glebe House has been synonymous with excellence, innovation, and international success. From this secluded and meticulously designed training hub, Bolger has trained approximatley 2,900 winners including 57 Group 1 Races and 13 Classic Winners.

Global stars such as New Approach, St Jovite, Teofilo, Dawn Approach and Poetic Flare were all trained in Coolcullen. In addition to his achievements on the flat he has trained multiple national hunt winners including two Irish Champion hurdle winners and 4 champion four-year old’s.

The property is widely regarded as the engine room of one of the most influential careers in modern racing. The sale of Glebe House marks the end of an extraordinary era and presents a buyer with a rare chance to become custodian of a property whose reputation reaches far beyond Irish shores.

“This is a landmark equestrian holding a property that has shaped the course of racing history,” said Paddy Jordan of Jordan Auctioneers. “Its facilities, legacy, and location make it one of the most prestigious and complete training establishments to ever come to the market.”

From the moment a horse sets foot on these gallops, every aspect of its regime reflected Bolger’s distinctive philosophy: precision, discipline, and meticulous care. Generations of champions were moulded here through a unique blend of horsemanship and scientific conditioning, with results that resonated across the racing world.

Glebe House is equipped to the highest professional standard, featuring:
 158 stables across multiple yards
 Five horse walkers, treadmill and therapy rooms
 Three outstanding gallops – grass, sand and woodchip
 Extensive barns, storage, veterinary and laboratory facilities
 Staff accommodation including a dedicated recreational building and canteen of c. 305 sq.
m (3,288 sq. ft)
 Substantial six-bedroom residence in immaculate condition throughout.
Every element of the complex has been crafted to support elite-level training with efficiency,
safety, and year-round conditioning in mind.

At the heart of the estate lies Glebe House, a gracious three-storey period home extending to approximately 694 sq. m (7,470 sq. ft), featuring multiple reception rooms, six bedrooms, fine original details and wonderful views over the grounds and surrounding countryside.

A sweeping gravel driveway and mature landscaping ensure complete privacy and a sense of timeless charm. The lands extend to approx.150 acres, all in grass, with mature boundaries and excellent road frontage. The property enjoys a tranquil rural setting at Coolcullen, close to the Carlow–Kilkenny border, and is easily accessible to Carlow Town (18km), Castlecomer
(8km), and Kilkenny City (17km), with the M9 giving direct access to Dublin and Waterford.

The Curragh is approximately 50 mins and Dublin is accessible via motorway in 1hr 30mins. A guide price of excess €4,000,000 is being issued.