The original copy of Ireland’s national anthem, written in 1907, may sell for as much as 1.2 million euros ($1.4 million) when auctioned in Dublin on April 12, said James Adam and Sons, which is handling the sale.

With words and music handwritten by Peadar Kearney on two pieces of paper, the anthem, known as the Soldier’s Song, was popularized by revolutionaries during Ireland’s 1916 uprising against British rule. It is one of 400 lots scheduled for auction.

“Many of the items consigned for auction are one-offs,” said Stuart Cole, director at Dublin-based James Adam. “Previously unseen and entirely irreplaceable, they derive from important Irish families directly involved in the Easter Rising and the battle for Irish independence.”

The sale, scheduled to take place on the 90th anniversary of Ireland’s Easter Rising, may tap a growing demand for historical Irish documents and artifacts. A copy of a surrender order signed by Padraig Pearse after the 1916 uprising sold for 700,000 euros last May, seven times the highest presale estimate.

Posted: 02|14|06 at 9:58 am. Filed under: Collectables.