Dutch industrialist abducted in 1975 and held for 36 days dies days after his wife

Over four centuries "The Adoration of the Shepherds" has turned up in places as diverse as Delft in Holland, a royal palace in Germany, a French château, an attic in Clondalkin and a stately home in Co Wicklow

The Cornfield by Jacob van Ruisdael will now go to the Ulster Museum in Belfast

Of the Beit paintings controversially earmarked for auction, three avoided the hammer

Weekend Read: 40 years ago the businessman was abducted by the IRA and held for 36 days. He survived by keeping his captors calm and using survival skills honed in a second World War concentration camp

Weekend read: The Dutch industrialist was abducted in October 1975 by Eddie Gallagher and Marion Coyle, two republicans who held him for 36 days

Rubens’s The Monk was apparently rejected for auction and is returning to Ireland

Sale of paintings by Christie’s in London could raise €11 million

Millions of euro expected from sale of works, some of which recovered after robberies

Items from Sir Alfred Beit’s collection to be auctioned at Sotheby’s