Auction of items from Michael Flatley's Cork estate attract 'phenomenal interest' worldwide

An auction is being held today selling selected items from Michael Flatley’s Castlehyde estate in Cork.

Sheppard’s Irish Auction House is holding the sale of the contents of the estate today and tomorrow, November 27.

More than 700 items from the dancer’s home will be up for sale during the live online auction, including medieval-style suits of armour, rifles, a billiard table, and neoclassical Roman busts.

One of the most interesting pieces receiving a lot of attention is a Hannibal Lecter mask worn by Sir Anthony Hopkins in Hannibal.

The mask is that of the one used on the set of the movie and is signed by the actor and his co-star Julianne Moore. The mask is estimated at €80,000 to €120,000.

Also up for auction is a mid-to-late 20th century full suit of armour estimated at €1,500 and a Ferrari protective cover estimated at approximately €300.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1’s Today with Claire Byrne, Philip Sheppard of Sheppard's Irish Auction House said that the items were attracting “phenomenal interest from all over the world” within an hour of the auction going live.

“Already everything is selling, mostly at the high end of the estimates,” he said.

Mr Sheppard also told Claire Byrne that a lot of pieces on sale are reflective of the contents of a lot of properties at an international level.

“It’s a bit different but it's very high end really good quality pieces, not usual, not something we’d come across everyday here but then again not everybody is a global superstar and not everybody has an international lifestyle,” he said.

Michael Flatley purchased the 12 bedroom Castlehyde in 1999 for €4 million and spent an estimated €30 million on its refurbishment.

Historically, Castlehyde was the seat of the Hyde family, including the first president of Ireland, Douglas Hyde.