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A 1798 Cork City Militia gold medal will be among the real rarities at the indoor National Antique, Art and Vintage Fair at Limerick Racecourse on March 18/19.  As well as all its other St. Patrick’s Day celebrations Limerick will be the venue for this antique crowd pulling event, a mecca for collectors and dealers of every type. The Cork Militia speak to an unhappy history as they were heavily and cruelly involved in putting down the 1798 Rebellion.  They were, in fact, a sort of 18th century Black and Tan group, recruited from jails and known to commit acts of torture on their prisoners.  In this regard the North Cork Militia achieved a particular notoriety.  The particular medal at the fair was awarded to a member of the Cork City Militia.

On foot of the move to Limerick Racecourse last year, with ample parking and plenty of display space, this ever popular antique fair – on the go now for 35 years – has grown even bigger.  Organiser Robin O’Donnell claims that it will be the biggest collection of dealers ever assembled in Ireland.

A much enlarged Opera Festival antiques and art fair takes place on June 4 and 5 at the community centre in the shadow of Lismore Castle.  Among the members of the Irish Antique Dealers Association who will attend are Marie Curran (jewellery and silver) Dublin, Greene’s Antiques of Drogheda and Treasures Irish Art from Athlone.

Dealers from right around the country will bring an appetising selection of Irish art, French antique furniture, Persian rugs, high end vintage fashion with a global provenance, jewellery, oil lamps, porcelain, glass, coins, banknotes, boxes, militaria and collectibles including clocks.  There will be small easily carried pieces and even genealogy solutions.  Organiser Robin O’Donnell of Hibernian Antique Fairs who managed to keep fairs going online during lockdown will make another online offering soon;  he plans to sell online his own private collection gathered over the past 35 years in a format similar to the  online fairs.

Contemporary Irish art, jewellery, antique furniture, vintage re-designs, silver and collectibles will rub shoulders at the Kingsley Hotel in Cork today and tomorrow.  All the fun of the fair is guaranteed to mark the return of Hibernian Antique Fairs – after several failed attempts – with their first live event in Cork in more than two years. The Cork fair has always been a draw and the hope this time is that absence has made the heart grow fonder.  Organiser Robin O’Donnell promises a full house with dealers from far and wide including some new ones.

Regulars making a welcome return include Irish Antique Dealers Association members like James Weldon silver and jewellery, Treasures Irish Art and Courtville Antiques. Among the newcomers are Cork Antiques, Midleton, James O’Hare fine art, Pauline Shields militaria and Richard Walshe coins and banknotes.  One newcomer sure to create a stir is Agness Vintage Redesigns.  In an era when there is zilch interest in the lower end of the ordinary brown furniture market this fledgling company founded by Agness Meehan will repurpose, upcycle, transform and make beautiful old Edwardian and Victorian pieces that might otherwise be in danger of being dumped in a skip.  What’s not to like?

Brian Hurley from Kinsale will exhibit a plate from the Cork Mansion House Service, designed by the renowned Cork based architect George Richard Pain (1793 to 1838), who was a pupil of John Nash. There will be vintage rugs at Annamoe Antiques and Eily Henry will offer a collection of vintage fashion.

The National Antiques Art and Vintage fair is back and it is taking place in Limerick today and tomorrow.  Reaction to the event has been phenomenal.  There is no doubt, according to organiser Robin O’Donnell of Hibernian Antique Fairs, that people are bursting to get back to normality. There will be furniture, art, silver, jewellery, vintage fashion, porcelain, glass, books and all sorts of collectibles on display. Exhibitors include members of the Irish Antique Dealers Association like James  Weldon, Courtville Antiques, Martin Maguire, Marie Curran, Treasures Athlone, Rory Byrne Donegal Antiques and Greene’s Antiques. This national Limerick based fair at the South Court Hotel is normally a crowd puller and usually draws people from Cork, Kerry, Galway, Tipperary, the Midlands and beyond. Doors are open from 11 am to 6 pm on both days.

In the unlikely event you may not have noticed it will be Valentine’s Day next Monday. James Weldon will bring this array of rings to the National Antiques, Art and Vintage Fair at the South Court Hotel in Limerick on February 12 and 13. Mr. Weldon will be in attendance on Sunday only, but never fear. There will be a great selection of antique furniture, art, silver, jewellery, vintage fashion, porcelain, glass, books and collectibles on display.