At the auction of Dr Karl Mullen’s rugby memorabilia in Kildare yesterday friend and international rugby contemporary Jackie Kyle purchased a collection of photographs of the 1950 New Zealand tour. Mr Kyle lost his rugby memorabilia in a house fire.
Purchases were also made on behalf of the IRFU and rugby clubs.
George Mealy, of Mealy’s Auctioneers, Kilkenny, who conducted the auction, said that all the rugby memorabilia had sold out.
About 180 people attended the auction which was held in a marquee in the grounds of Gilltown Lodge in Kilcullen, which was Dr Mullen’s home for the last decade of his life.
Dr Mullen, who led Ireland to its first Grand Slam victory in 1948 and captained the Lions when they toured New Zealand and Australia in 1950, died in April.
