‘Lincoln’ event raises €250,000 for hospice fund

With the director Stephen Spielberg ending up in a bidding war with his wife for one of the items at the charity auction, it was no wonder the event raised more than €250,000 towards the building of a hospice in Wicklow — and they are still counting.

A charity auction at the Burlington Hotel of movie memorabilia from the film Lincoln raised €150,000, and this brought the total monies raised from the screening and party last Sunday night for the building of a hospice near Brittas Bay in Co Wicklow to more than €250,000.

Brendan Cuddihy of the organising committee said: “The most expensive item at the auction was a signed print by Bono of his drawing of Peter and the Wolf. It sold for €42,000 and sparked off a bidding war between Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw, which drew much amusement. Bono initially bid for it himself, but then left it to the two of them. In the end Spielberg left it to his wife.