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Selling our Country's history! A Disgrace...

  • 13-04-2006 11:58am
    #1
    half_dead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 519 ✭✭✭


    I'm ashamed and disgusted at the auctioning off of the Irish nations original Tri-colour Flag (from the GPO circa. 1916) along with the original written Anthem (and a number of Irelands other national treasures) yesterday in Dublin. :eek:

    I never thought that a Government (let alone a Nation) could allow this to happen. I found it an utter disgrace that no National body (be that Governmental or Cultural) were in any position to make a bid on such items, or prevent the auction happening altogether...

    I was watching this last night with my new wife (of 2weeks ago) who is from Texas and I must say, given her reaction it made me almost ashamed to be associated with a country that would allow this to happen.

    I think the Irish people need to stand back from the "under the radar" tactics and goings on in the country and look at it as if we DID have a choice in these matters...

    Bertie has a lot to answer to (and the matters are constantly increasing) and in my opinion the last straw is almost plucked...:mad:


Comments

  • #2
    Bluetonic
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,588 ✭✭✭Bluetonic


    What did Bertie's office say when you gave him a ring prior to the auction/after the auction?


  • #3
    half_dead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 519 ✭✭✭half_dead


    (Ha ha... funny man ain't ya!):rolleyes:

    The statement they had was along the lines of:
    Unfortunately there was no facility in place to prevent this from occurring, yet it is a shame to see such historical memorabilia go under the hammer.

    I'm more irritated that I used to work for the Dept. in question and have had first hand account of what they DO spend the country's money on... and in comparison this is weak... and a f***in' disgrace as far as I'm concerned.


  • #4
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Who was the seller? If the owner of the items refuses to accept offers before the auction, that's their perogative; the government can't force them to hand it over or force a sale.

    Who bought them anyway? Or do we know yet?
    I'd say that the government can't force people to do their bidding and unless they were willing to out bid everyone else (which in some instances could have been seen as a horrible waste of public money), then we have to live with it.


  • #5
    half_dead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 519 ✭✭✭half_dead


    Seller was not known (according to the media)

    I know Michael Collins' typewriter was sold by a distant family member...

    I would have thought things such as the original writing of our national amthem belonged to the State anyways, but apparently not.

    And who exactly can claim ownership of the GPO Flag?!?!?!?!

    In general I think the Government could have made some effort to curb the sale of certain items... and as I said before, if the general public knew about the expenditure of particular officials/members of our Government I personally think spending money on items of our own heritage not that much of a waste....

    Whats next?

    ....The Daniel O'Connell statue up for sale on ebay?

    ......or the Book of Kells goes under the hammer so Bertie can finance another wing of a hospital and "suddenly" not be able to afford beds or staff for it?


  • #6
    Hobbes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,264 ✭✭✭✭Hobbes


    half_dead wrote:
    Unfortunately there was no facility in place to prevent this from occurring, yet it is a shame to see such historical memorabilia go under the hammer.

    I'm sure they would bring it into law if situation like Ian Paisley having a new tablecloth and napkin were to happen.


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  • #7
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    half_dead wrote:
    In general I think the Government could have made some effort to curb the sale of certain items... and as I said before, if the general public knew about the expenditure of particular officials/members of our Government I personally think spending money on items of our own heritage not that much of a waste....

    I don't mean for this to come across sarcastically, but perhaps you should let them know then...


  • #8
    DMC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,726 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    Its a case of finders keepers. Someone has this in a private collection, and now, with all the detail of the 90th since 1916, s/he's chosen a good time to sell, to maximise his/her deal.

    Another way of looking at it, s/he was holding the govt to ransom.

    And its not that big a deal, I feel. €600,000 spent in hospitals might be better for the public.


  • #9
    cuckoo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,945 ✭✭✭cuckoo


    They're just things. If someone who owned some of the items auctioned off, and decided to donate them to the national museum, well, i think that would be nice. But, the State spending large amounts of our money to buy them would be a bit of a waste.

    Ireland may not be the 'land of the free', but people are still allowed own and sell property. That's all they were, property, stuff, lots in an auction.


  • #10
    stepbar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,123 ✭✭✭stepbar


    "They're just things" Exactly, wouldnt be losing sleep over them cause at the end of the day they wont keep a roof over ur head..........


  • #11
    damienom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 582 ✭✭✭damienom


    More important is the fact that FF have decided to completely politicise 1916 to their own gain which I'd have a far bigger problem with.

    I have alot of 1916 memoribilia in the (extended) family which I imagine will be sold at some stage, I'd have a far greater bone to pick with Bertie and the lads who are using the date as a PR stunt


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  • #12
    The Dump
    Closed Accounts Posts: 99 ✭✭The Dump


    Ill bid 200


  • #13
    DMC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,726 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    damienom wrote:
    More important is the fact that FF have decided to completely politicise 1916 to their own gain which I'd have a far bigger problem with.

    I have alot of 1916 memoribilia in the (extended) family which I imagine will be sold at some stage, I'd have a far greater bone to pick with Bertie and the lads who are using the date as a PR stunt

    I actually think this is a master stroke by Ahern, but not just for FF, for FG and Labour too. Its all about dampening down Sinn Fein's "right" to 1916. It also reminds us about the debate about 1916, because I feel it has been a piece of history that a lot of us have forgotton about. I've enjoyed the peices on radio, TV and the papers this week.

    It also shows, that the political parties are all still borne out of 1916 and the Civil War, and that their roots still be entwined. You would've thought that after 90 years, 1916 wouldnt matter so much. It makes the PD's and the Greens spectators.


  • #14
    Hobbes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,264 ✭✭✭✭Hobbes


    DMC wrote:
    I actually think this is a master stroke by Ahern, but not just for FF, for FG and Labour too. Its all about dampening down Sinn Fein's "right" to 1916.

    I'd kind of agree with this. Watching it on TV I was kind of thinking how the IRA felt about it. Its not like they will ever be allowed march down with the Irish army.


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