Recovered paintings ‘should return to Killarney House’

Stolen 19th century paintings of members of a leading landlord family, in Kerry, which have been recovered, should be returned to the county, it has been urged.

Gardaí are investigating the theft of the pictures, which are owned by the State and which disappeared from storage but, afterwards, turned up for sale at auctions in England.

They were the responsibility of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht but their original home was Killarney House.

Two of the pictures were portraits of the 1st Earl of Kenmare and his second wife, Mary Aylmer, who lived in Killarney House, and were painted by Hugh Douglas Hamilton.

They were to be sold at private auction, last October, for between €20,000 to €30,000 before being spotted by an art expert who alerted the authorities.

Both portraits had been previously sold in London. A third painting, by James Seymour, was sold at auction in England, in 2010.

All three works are believed to have been part of a collection held in private storage in Kildare on behalf of the department, which says it has removed all of its items in storage at this facility.

An inventory of all items in storage, as well as a review of procedures and protocol, is being carried out, says the department.

Kerry-based Fine Gael Senator Paul Coghlan has called for the return of the paintings to Killarney House when it reopens.

The two paintings, which date from the early 1800s, previously hung in the house, now being renovated. A section of the house will be dedicated to Earls of Kenmare’s memory.

“I hope the paintings can be returned to the house when it is reopened as planned in 2014,” Mr Coghlan said.

“I also hope those responsible for the theft of these valuable paintings can be brought to justice.”