Historical letters up for sale
A 90-year-old letter written by Michael Collins to Thomas Ashe is expected to fetch around €50,000 at an auction tonight.
The letter is accompanied by a unique portrait of Ashe, the famous 1916 Rising leader who later died on hunger strike, by the renowned painter Leo Whelan. It is worth up to €70,000.
The correspondence, written in April 1917, is of immense interest to historians as it contains, in coded terms, Collins’ view of political affairs at the time.
They will go under the hammer at Whyte’s auction house at 6pm.
Other items in the sale include a correspondence from Collins and Liam Mellowes, an autograph book from Frongoch camp containing watercolour views of the prison camp and a manuscript poem, and a group of medals awarded to Irish Volunteer Daniel Tynan (1895-1974).
Drawings by Countess Markievicz, a poster relating to the “Invincibles” and the Phoenix Park assassinations in 1882, a 1922 Civil War Proclamation and a 1922 first edition of James Joyce’s 'Ulysses' will also be sold.
