To bid or knot to bid Kenny, Noonan auction ties for charity

“WHAT DO ties matter, Jeeves, at a time like this?”

To which question the inimitable valet, created by PG Wodehouse, retorted: “There is no time, Sir, at which ties do not matter.”

It may be a time of economic turbulence but telecoms magnate Denis O’Brien has submitted an advance “opening bid” of €1,000 in a charity auction for the tie worn by Taoiseach Enda Kenny during his televised “state of the nation” address. The successful bidder will also receive a signed photograph of Mr Kenny and a copy of the speech.

Also going under the hammer is the tie worn by Minister for Finance Michael Noonan while delivering his budget speech to the Dáil. Both men have donated the ties to raise funds for the Dyspraxia Association of Ireland, which provides support services to the about 7 per cent of Irish children affected with a condition described as a difficulty with thinking, planning and carrying out sensory and motor tasks.

The ties are on display at fine art auctioneers de Veres in Kildare Street ahead of the auction at 8pm tomorrow night. Auctioneer John de Vere White, who is volunteering his services, has himself promised to pay €200 for Mr Noonan’s tie but expects that both pieces of political neckwear will be the subject of strong bidding.

More than 1.2 million viewers saw Mr Kenny’s broadcast last Sunday week and his tie – worn with a pale blue shirt – attracted much favourable comment. The Taoiseach’s 100 per cent silk tie – pink with white dots – was made in Italy by Canali, a company which claims its designs appeal to men who “choose their clothes not to amaze or pander to the rules of others, but first and foremost to please”.

Louis Copeland, the Dublin menswear retailer who stocks the Canali brand, told The Irish Times that Mr Kenny was a customer and said the Taoiseach always looks well and was as well-dressed as any of his European counterparts.

He said a Canali tie would retail for about €85.

Mr Noonan’s tie is far less luxurious. While also 100 per cent silk, his yellow tie featuring a blue pattern was made in China for Miami-based international fashion brand, Bijoux Terner.

The company, clearly in tune with the Minister’s mood of austerity, claims to have a simple price-point strategy at all of its locations and said that in the United States it applied a $10 price to its products while, in Europe, they sold for €12. Mr Copeland said he had not heard of the Bijoux Terner brand. He thought Mr Noonan might have picked it up in America.

A well as the ties, paintings donated by artists including Graham and Jonathan Knuttel, Brian Ballard, Robert Ballagh and John Morris will be auctioned.

The auction is sponsored by multinational financial services company State Street which employs over 2,000 people in Ireland and will be hosted by RTÉ sports presenter Des Cahill.