Aidan Connolly, from Clonmel, has been collecting cigar bands from around the world for 30 years. Philly Breen, a machinery dealer from Cashel, has spent 10 years gathering his hoard of cast-iron farm machinery seats.
Martina Coady, from Carrick-on-Suir, keeps rare dolls and old bottles and glasses.
The collectors of Co Tipperary, and they are many, have been persuaded to share their favourite objects with the wider public in a very unusual exhibition which opened last week in their local museum.
The People's Show 1998, at the Tipperary South Riding Museum in Clonmel is an extravaganza of local interest, with display cases showing sets of collected objects ranging from hand-bells to hubcaps, tin toys to beer-mats.
"There are so many people out there who collect these marvellous items and we didn't know about them," said the museum curator, Pat Holland, at the exhibition opening.
Michael Gallagher, from Donaskeigh, south Tipperary, has contributed part of his fascinating collection of old tools such as pigringing pliers, a cast-iron saw-tooth setter, a saddle-maker's stitch-marker and a first World War bully beef can opener, used in the trenches.
The displays are accompanied by a personal account from each owner on why they collect the things they do. "I appreciate the quality and originality of tools," said Michael Gallagher, a county council worker. "I particularly like the unusual and unique designs and manufacture of tools from bygone days. The first items in my collection were saddlers' tools and a knee vice . . ."
A young collector from Fethard, Jonathan Wall, shows 19th-century coins. "My collection began after my grandfather gave me some old coins. My first coin was an 1860 English penny." - Some of the collectors preferred to remain anonymous, like one with a set of Rolling Stone magazines. "I began buying Rolling Stone 30 years ago for the news. Now they are re-read for the nostalgia value," this collector wrote.
Irish circus models are the obsession of a third unnamed collector who said: "I loved the circus as a child and began collecting circus models 15 years ago. I have toured with several circus shows during my holidays.
"I have a special affection for old things, especially those that move. The first item in my collection was a Chipperfield six-wheel-drive truck from the 1940s . . ."
Philly Breen revealed that there has been a long tradition in his family of collecting parts from old horse-drawn machinery.
A colourful selection of his cast-iron machinery seats is hung on one wall of the museum.
Most of the seats would have been fixed to horse-drawn farm machinery produced between 1870 and 1950. His collection includes British, Irish and North American-made seats.
Maureen Purcell, an art teacher in Clonmel, collects pictures and china models of animals, because she loves animals and birds. Pigs are a speciality, because she likes painting pigs.
"If someone knows you collect a particular thing they'll bring them back from everywhere," she said.
Brian Lynch, from Clonmel, collects John F. Kennedy memorabilia: albums, photos, and even the front pages of Irish newspapers published during the JFK visit here. It's an alternative to the work he does every day in high-technology industry.
Pat Dunne began his interest in tin toys with the purchase of a green cast-metal lorry costing 6s 8d in Woolworths, Clonmel.
The exhibition has been organised by Anna Meehan, museum conservator, and Fiona Flynn, museum assistant, who admit it was a labour of love. "We might try to make it an annual thing if there's sufficient interest," they said.
The People's Show, which continues until May 30th, probably represents only the tip of an iceberg of private collections.