Sold on sound restoration plan

AN auction in aid of conservation work on Cork’s iconic, St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, includes a limited edition print by Pablo Picasso, an Arcadian painting by William Irving, rare items of Cork and Limerick silver and a bottle of Chateau Petrus donated and signed by Michael Flatley.

The auction takes place at 10.30am sharp at Fota House and is being conducted pro bono by Sheppard’s Irish Auction House. The firm recently conducted an auction on the same basis in aid of Christchurch in Dublin. Other items for auction include stone sphinxes, an Irish George II library chair, an 18th century Irish breakfast hall table, a signed Irish William IV sundial and a platinum and diamond ring.

“There has been a huge reaction to the auction,” says the Dean of Cork, Very Reverend Nigel Dunne. “I think one of the attractive things about it is the 50/50 deal we offered people. When they put an item into the auction, they get 50% of the sale price back, commission free. People recognise the building as being very important to Cork. It belongs to everyone in the city.”