Benefactor buys Pearse letter for State

A letter from Padraig Pearse that was written shortly before his death has been purchased by a private benefactor and donated permanently to the National Museum of Ireland just hours ahead of its sale at  auction.

The letter - one of three written by Pearse on the eve of his death - gave instructions for his possessions and was among more than 600 items from the War of Independence due to go under the hammer at the James Adam Salerooms in Dublin at 6pm.

The Pearse letter due to be auctioned today

However, the letter has been sold to a private individual, who in turn has donated it to the National Museum for an undisclosed sum. The letter had an auction estimate of €80,000-€120,000.

The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism had said yesterday that it was examining the provenance of the letter after doubts were cast as to whether it was left to the State by his sister, Margaret Pearse, or handed as a gift to a private individual.

However, a spokesperson for James Adam said that the provenance of the letter was disclosed to the Museum prior to its sale earlier today.

The letter was sent to General Maxwell, commander of the British forces in Ireland, from Kilmainham Gaol on May 2nd, 1916, on the eve of Pearse's execution. It asks that his personal effects, including four poems, be handed to his mother or his sister.

He also requested that a five-pound note and two gold sovereigns, taken from him at the GPO, and a watch and whistle at Arbour Hill, be handed to his mother or his sister.

The letter will go on display at the 1916 exhibition at the Collins Barracks Museum as soon as possible.

National Museum of Ireland director Pat Wallace said he "was relieved that such an important historical document had come to one of the State institutions as its destination anywhere other than in State ownership would be unthinkable".

Arts Minister John O'Donoghue said he was delighted that the letter had been secured for the Irish people, adding it was a bequest through us from Pearse to future generations.

Among items going under the hammer tonight will be a batch of 14 intimate letters written by Michael Collins that are expected to fetch around €20,000, and a rare Fine Gael Blueshirt from the 1930s.