THE END OF THE FAIR, CONNEMARA, 1974
Maurice MacGonigal PRHA HRA HRSA (1900-1979)The satisfaction on the transactions achieved are evident in the stance of the Sellers and Buyers of the 'post market' sales. The tall figure on the right of the composition was a sheep farmer from near the Hill of Doon, overlooking Oughterard lake and he often met him at the gate of Walter Macken's home, nearer to Oughterard, when he (the 'Sheepman') was doing a day's fishing on the lake. I think he the 'Sheepman' was either a Blake or a Joyce, more likely the latter.
I can recall the artist being staggered on being told that he 'lambed' in mid-January and early February, and that at a good lambing time he'd 600 ewes in lamb.
I remember that the same Sheepman bought good cattle and sheep from our neighbours in the townland of Faul, where the artist and his wife had a cottage. They, Maggie Conneely and Bella and Festy Conneely - smallholders on very good limestone land - always had the great and good of 'Joyce Country' anxious to buy their beasts either for their own holdings or for the Great Sheepmen from the County Meath who'd descend on certain fairs when they knew our neighbours were selling, based on information supplied by the 'runners'.
In this work, the successful and possibly the less successful sellers were having a 'deoch' or ten outside Mannions. The Buyers or their Agents would visit each of the 20 or so public houses in the town to stand rounds of stout, and port for the ladies.
They'd be accompanied by their 'runners' who held the 'Mála'(a kind of pouch not unlike a long pipe tobacco pouch) with the cash, - English and Irish notes and Dollars - any man, boy or child who'd helped was remembered. Toby Joyce, a noted local sheep and cattle buyer and agent with lands in Westmeath as well, remarked to me one day that the 'runners' were like flower seeds...the young ones will flower in their day too and be of use'; local knowledge was a great help against the incoming cattle and sheep buyers' agents.
The intensity and depth of emotion and language used was operatic in its scale: 'advance', 'retreat', sideways looks, re-advance and when closure of the deal seemed likely the buyers and sellers fell into the last part in Irish: 'h'anum an Diabhal feach! Tóg é...agus luck penny duit fhéin…' marked it's Wagnerian outcome. If, on the other hand, it was not a success the remark would be made ' Feach anois a bhuacall...let's meet in EJ's and we'll fix it….as Herself won't care for it if you go home without...ye'll be WITHOUT then me boyo..' ( EJ Kings of Castle House was on the corner of Main and Market Streets opposite Mrs. Foyle's Hotel).
The artist painted many scenes on those corners over the years. This work is packed with the intensity of these momentous events of the late Spring Fair of 1974; the operatic nature of the unfolding tales would result in the artist coming home exhausted with the drama of the transactions and his own efforts in painting the unfolding story to its end. These Halcyon days were filled with endless cups of tea and cigarettes for the Artist. ...or so he always said 'twas the case.
Ciarán MacGonigal
Mí na Féile Bríd 2023
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(b) If any purchaser fails to pay in full for any lot within 21 days of the date of sale such lot may at any time thereafter at the auctioneer's discretion be put up for sale by auction again or sold privately; if upon such re-sale a lower price is obtained than was obtained on the first sale the purchaser in default on the first sale shall make good the difference in price and the expenses of re-sale which shall become debt due from him.
(c) Interest at 2 per cent per month and legal costs (if any) for recovery of monies due shall be payable by the purchaser on any overdue account.
Clause 5
(a) Each buyer, by making a bid, acknowledges that he has satisfied himself as to the physical condition, age and catalogue description of each lot (including but not restricted to whether the lot is damaged or has been repaired or restored).
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(d) Where a lot has been submitted to expertisation, all costs of such expertisation shall be paid by the person who retains the certificate of expertisation and item or items to which the certificate relates.
(e) Where the purchaser of a lot discharges the onus and acts in accordance with sub-clause (b) of this clause, the auctioneer shall rescind the sale and repay to the purchaser the purchase money paid by him in respect of the lot.
(f) No lot shall be rejected if, subsequent to the sale, it has been marked by an expert committee or treated by any other process unless the auctioneer's permission to subject the lot to such treatment has first been obtained in writing.
(g) Any lot listed as a "collection, range, portfolio etc." or stated to comprise or contain a collection or range of items which are not described shall be put up for sale not subject to rejection and shall be taken by the purchaser with all (if any) faults, lack of genuineness and errors of description and numbers of items in the lot, and the purchaser shall have no right to reject the lot; except that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this sub-clause, where before a sale a person intending to bid at the sale gives notice in writing to, and satisfies the auctioneer that any such lot contains any item or items undescribed in the sale catalogue and that person specifically describes that item or those items in that notice, then that item or those items shall, as between the auctioneer and that person, to be taken to form part of the description of the lot.
Clause 6
The respective rights and obligations of the parties shall be governed and interpreted by Irish law, and the buyer hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Irish Courts.
Special Conditions
a) The buyer shall pay the Auctioneer a commission at the rate of 20% (Art sales) or 24% (Collectibles sales). The Buyer's Premium is added to the hammer price of all lots and is subject to VAT at the prevailing rate.
(b) The Auctioneer or its employees, servants or agents may, on request organise packing and shipping of lots purchased or may order on the buyer's behalf third parties to pack or ship purchases. Under no circumstances does the Auctioneer accept any liability whatsoever for any loss or damage howsoever occasioned in the course of such service.
(c) The buyer authorises the Auctioneer to use any photographs or illustrations of any lot purchased for any or all purposes as the Auctioneer may require. The placing of a bid will be taken as full agreement to all the above conditions.
WHYTE AND SONS AUCTIONEERS LIMITED, 2022
We hold two types of auction - TIMED and LIVE SALEROOM
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WHAT IS A TIMED AUCTION?Timed auctions do not have an auctioneer calling the bids – there’s just a bidding time frame and whoever bids highest during the time frame wins. Each lot can be bid on for a defined time period. At the end of this period, the bidder who has submitted the highest bid wins the lot, provided the bid exceeds the reserve price. You tell us the most you’re willing to pay – and we’ll bid intelligently for you, only bidding enough for you to meet the reserve or stay in the lead. Don’t worry, your maximum bid is not disclosed, and is held in confidence on our bidding system.
WHEN ONLINE BIDDING STARTS - YOU CAN LEAVE BIDS online and your bid will start at one step above the previous bid or at the start price if no other bid. You will be notified by email if you get outbid before the auction starts.
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WHEN THE AUCTION BEGINS TO FINISH ON THE DATE AND TIME SPECIFIED,THE BIDDING FOR EACH LOT REMAINS OPEN FOR 45 SECONDS at a start price determined by the reserve or bids already received. Each lot will be open and remain open for bidding until its end time is reached; the end time will be extended by 45 seconds if another bid is received. At the end time, if there are no further bids and the highest bid received equals or exceeds the reserve price the lot is sold to highest bidder.
The Buyers Premium for Art sales is 20% plus VAT ( 24.6% gross). The Buyers Premium for Collectibles sales is 24% plus VAT (29.52% gross). The Buyers Premium will be added to your winning bid amount. Your invoice will detail all the payment, collection and shipping particulars.
2. LIVE SALEROOM AUCTION:
If you can't attend the auction in the saleroom you can email or post or telephone bids to us, or you can book a telephone line to bid during the sale. Contact us on +353 16762888 or bids@whytes.ie
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Up to €300 x€10
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A FEW TIPS FOR ABSENTEE BIDDERS:
Bid the maximum price you would pay for the lot; we will try and secure the lot for you at the lowest possible price. For instance if you bid €2,000 on a lot and the highest other bid we receive is €1,200 you get it for €1,250. Most people tend to bid in round numbers, e.g. €500. It’s often a good idea to bid an odd number, e.g. €520, or €540 which will outbid an even number. Check the results the day after the sale: these are published on our website www.whytes.ie at about 10am on the day after the sale. Successful bidders are also notified of results by mail.
TIE BIDS: if two or more equal bids are received the lot will be sold to the first received.
The Buyers Premium for Art sales is 20% plus VAT ( 24.6% gross). The Buyers Premium for Collectibles sales is 24% plus VAT (29.52% gross). The Buyers Premium will be added to your winning bid amount. Your invoice will detail all the payment, collection and shipping particulars.