Bids for Rising tricolour fly high at auction

THE tricolour used in the 1916 Easter Rising was sold yesterday to an anonymous bidder for €600,000.

The linen flag was believed to have flown over the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin and was captured by a British Army sergeant after the Rising, before ending up in the hands of a wealthy Catholic merchant family.

It was withdrawn from auction in Dublin last night after only attracting bids of €560,000.