Irish art auction fetches record €5.5m

Des O’Sullivan reports on stellar prices and previews upcoming sales

The stellar result achieved at the sale of the Ernie O’Malley Collection in Dublin last Monday — more or less all down to five good oils by Yeats which totalled more than €4m — is a welcome shot in the arm. One good collection and five major Yeats paintings gave Whyte’s and Christie’s the gong for the most expensive auction of Irish art ever sold in Ireland.