A mansion in the heart of the ring of Kerry that was once owned by a Dutch drugs baron has failed to attract any bidders.

Glashnacree House in Derryquin, Sneem went up for online auction last week with a reserve price of €1.4m.

Expand Close Glashnacree House in Derryquin, Sneem, Co Kerry. Picture: Bid X1 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Glashnacree House in Derryquin, Sneem, Co Kerry. Picture: Bid X1

The mansion, built in 1822, sits on eight acres of land and comes complete with a 40ft swimming pool and two guest cottages.

According to legal documents the massive property was seized from Dutch drug dealer Jan Hendrik Ijpelaar by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in 2000.

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Ijpelaar bought the property in 1991 for IR£300,000 but claimed in court that the house did not belong to him.

He argued that the property was owned by a Swiss company, Marbella Assets, in which he had sold all his shares in 1992.

The Rotterdam-born trafficker was convicted of drug offences in the Netherlands in 1992, and served five out of a six-year jail sentence.

During a hearing in 2008 CAB officers told the High Court that Ijpelaar was the head of an organised crime gang in the Netherlands, importing, exporting and distributing ecstasy and cannabis. He had no other legitimate source of income.

Expand Close Glashnacree House in Derryquin, Sneem, Co Kerry. Picture: Bid X1 / Facebook

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Ijpelaar was last seen near his Ring of Kerry hideaway following his release from prison in 1997.

The property was sold after its seizure and the buyers had no involvement in criminality. It is being sold by BidX1, formerly known as Allsop and can be viewed here.

The auctioneer explained that least three potential buyers had expressed an interest in the property but none were willing to pay the reserve range of between €1.395m and €1.405m.

She explained that the Victorian Coastal Country House was built as a dower house to Parknasilla in 1822.

The house was home to James Franklin Fuller who was responsible for the design of Kylemore Abbey, Ashford Castle, Parknasilla and Farmleigh, as well as the Gardener’s Lodge in St Stephen’s Green, which was commissioned by Arthur Guinness.

The property has been well-maintained and also includes a tennis court and sauna.

The property is located near the village of Sneem and approximately 22km west of Kenmare Town along the Ring of Kerry.

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