An overseas buyer pays a world record price of £280,000 for a painting by Jack B Yeats at an auction in Dublin.
The oil on canvas 'Harvest Moon' went to auction at James Adams salesroom in Dublin and was bought by auctioneer Padraic Hassett on behalf of an unnamed client.
In just over one hour of bidding, one million pounds worth of Irish paintings went under auctioneer Brian Coyle's hammer.
Seven works by Jack Butler Yeats fetched over £600,000 but it was Harvest Moon which attracted most attention. The seller had a reserve price of £150,000 but within seconds it was clear that that painting would achieve a much higher price. In the end, it went for a record price of £280,000.
Raymond Keaveny, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland regrets that a painting of such importance may be denied to the Irish public.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 28 September 1989. The reporter is Charlie Bird.
