Tricolour fails to sell at auction in spite of €24k bids

The Tricolour said to have flown over Dublin during the 1916 Rising failed to sell at auction despite bids reaching €24,000.

The home-made flag, with the words ‘Sinn Féin go deo’ painted into the middle white panel, was recovered from the yard of Dublin Castle after it was apparently dumped there with other items confiscated from Irish Volunteers after the surrender of the rebels.

Having been sold by descendants of the Royal Irish Constabulary clerk in 1999, and bought for €20,000 by a private collector seven years ago, it was offered for sale at Whyte’s auction of historical and literary interest items on Saturday. However, it failed to meet the seller’s reserve price.