Original handwritten words of national anthem may fetch €1.2m

The original, handwritten words of the national anthem, Amhrán na bhFiann, are set to mark a resurgence of interest in independence-era memorabilia when they go to auction in the 90th anniversary year of the Easter Rising.

Peadar Kearney wrote the words on two pieces of paper in 1907, and they were popularised by the 1916 insurgents, before being chosen in 1926 as the national anthem.

The auction will also feature a number of handwritten letters from the 1916 leaders before they faced execution, as well as a Tricolour said to have flown over the GPO during the Easter Rising, and the telegram from the British government announcing the formation of the Irish Free State.

The auction - to be known as the "Independence Sale" will be jointly hosted by James Adam and Sons and Mealy's Auctioneers in the James Adam salesrooms in Dublin on March 12th.

A spokeswoman said that given their unique nature, it was estimated the words of the national anthem would fetch about €1.2 million. Last year an original copy of the 1916 Proclamation fetched over €300,000 at auction.

Lots at the auction include:

More than 400 lots are already catalogued in the sale but the catalogue will not close until the end of this month, a factor which may encourage even more artefacts to be brought forward.