The 98-year-old walking cane, once owned by Michael Collins was by him as a gift to one of his drivers in the early 1920s.

The antique market is hotting up at the moment with a two-day National Antiques Fair getting underway at Moran’s Silver Springs Hotel in Cork today, as well as today’s auctions of history at Whyte’s, Dublin, antiques and collectibles at O’Donovan’s, Newcastle West, Co Limerick, followed tomorrow by a country house sale by de Vere’s in Rathmichael, Co Dublin, a Sunday Interiors auction at James Adam’s and an auction at the Garryvoe Hotel and sales this week in Bray, Bandon and Sixmilebridge, the autumn season is rapidly getting into top gear.