MEMORABILIA MARKING the career of international ruby players Dr Karl Mullen goes for auction in Kildare today.
Dr Mullen, who led Ireland to its first Grand Slam victory in 1948, and captained the Lions when they toured New Zealand and Australia in 1950, died in April. He was predeceased by his wife, Doreen, a year earlier.
The collection includes Dr Mullen’s notification from the IRFU’s headquarters, in Westmoreland Street, Dublin, on December 22nd, 1947, that he had been picked for the Irish team to play France in Paris on January 1st.
It noted that it would be glad of his early acceptance, and went on to advise, in prominent bold typeface, that “your jersey will be supplied and must be returned immediately at the conclusion of the game.’’
It added, in a less prominent typeface, that 30 shillings would be accepted “for same’’.
The IRFU also advised that the organisation would cover the cost of transportation and hotel expenses, “including gratuities to servants’’, but it would not be responsible for personal tips, telegrams and telephone calls.
Dr Mullen was told “to please note that it will not be necessary for you to bring dress clothes.’’
The party, it added, would meet at the Grosvenor hotel, Westland Row, Dublin, at 5.30pm on Monday, December 29th, where “high tea will be served’’.
Yesterday, rugby enthusiasts gathered at Gilltown Lodge, Kilcullen, Kildare, his home for the last decade of his life, to view a pre-auction display which also included contemporary Irish art, glassware and antique furniture.
Dr Mullen’s daughter, Anna, explained that his eight children had retained a lot of family material.
“My brothers have the jerseys and the caps and so on,’’ she said.
George Mealy, of Mealy’s Auctioneers, Kilkenny, presided over the viewing of scrapbooks, match programmes, photographs, press reports and autographed rugby books.
There were notes scribbled by Dr Mullen on the back of a menu card for a speech he gave at a Scottish union rugby dinner in 1949.
The menu featured chicken and fruit trifle, but there was no reference to wine. The toast, presumably delivered with water, was to the King and the Irish and Scottish teams.
