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Joe Barrett.
A LEGENDARY Tralee footballer’s medals will go to auction in Kilkenny later this month.
Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers will conduct an auction specialising in GAA memorabilia, which comprises of over 800 lots, at The Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel, Ormonde Street, on Wednesday, September 28 at 10.30am.
Among the lots is Kerry and Austin Stacks footballer, Joe Barrett’s GAA medal collection which has valued at between €30,000 – €40,000.
The collection includes a number of medals such as All Ireland Winners Medals, Munster Senior Title Medals, National League, Inter Provincial (The Railway Cup), The Tailteann Games Medals, Memorial Tournament Fund Raiser, Inter County Football and Hurling and War of Independence Medal.
Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers said: “Joe Barrett played both codes for his club and captained the historic teams of 1931 which triumphed in both football and hurling.”
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“At the age of 15 Barrett became a member of the Irish Volunteers. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty he took to the Republican side in the subsequent Civil War.
He was arrested and interned in September of 1922 where he suffered severe hardship. He embarked on a 22 day Hunger Strike whilst imprisoned. He died on June 2, 1952, aged 49. Deemed a truly unique collection of medals directly linked to an icon and stalwart of the GAA, it is a collection of a lifetime (est. €30,000 – €40,000).”
His son, JJ Barrett, withdrew his father’s medals from the GAA museum in 2007 when Ireland played England in a Six Nations rugby international, in protest at God Save The Queen being played in the Croke Park.
Viewing will take place on Monday 26th September from 1pm – 6pm and Tuesday 27th September from 10.30 – 6pm in the Ormonde Hotel, Co. Kilkenny. The sale will take place also in the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel on Wednesday 28th September at 10.30am. For more information on the items up for auction, visit www.fonsiemealy.ie
