An original example of the Irish Proclamation of the Irish Republic, valued at up to €120,000 (approx. $139,500), will being auctioned in Dublin later this month.
The historic document, published by the Irish Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army acting as ‘The Provisional Government of the Republic of Ireland’ and dated Monday, April 24, 1916, changed Ireland forever.
Out of the original printing of 500, around 17 copies of the historic document still exist today, according to author John O’Connor in The Story of the 1916 Proclamation.
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Six are in public institutions, such as the Dáil, The Nation Museum and University College Dublin. Two belong to the British government archives, and there is also one in the Royal Collection in Buckingham Palace.
About a dozen others have been discovered since 1986, reports The Irish Examiner.
An original example of the Irish Proclamation. Credit: Whyte's Auction House.
Most examples from the original printing were destroyed during and after the Rising.
Stuart Purcell, head of collectables at Whyte’s Auction House said: “This example was restored and conserved to museum standard in 2005, and is framed and glazed. This is the ultimate Irish collectable, sans pareil.
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“There has been a lot of interest by the public in this particular piece so far — all of whom have been Irish. The recession is well and truly dead that’s for sure.”
Also being auctioned is Easter Rising leader Padraig Pearse’s chair from St Enda’s school, which is expected to fetch €2,000.
The items are being sold by Whyte’s Auction House in Dublin on September 15.
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