All-Ireland medal fetches €26,500
Published November 17th, 2005
The oldest All-Ireland football medal known to exist (1887) has sold at auction in London for three times its guide price.
The gold medal won by man-of-the-match Malachi O’Brien at the first ever All-Ireland football final fetched €26,500 at Sotheby’s this morning.
Commercials of Limerick beat Young Irelands of Louth in the 1887 final, which was actually played in April 1888.
The medals weren’t presented to the players until 1912.
O’Brien’s winner’s medal was bought by the Limerick Leader newspaper group, which is planning to put in on display in the city.
