A priceless time at Antiques Roadshow
� picture by John McVitty, Enniskillen, Co.Fermanagh, N. Ireland - 07771987378 � Roci Allan, (left), on his way with his oil painting ''School of Poussin'' 1780's to be valued at the Antiques Roadshow at Castle Coole.<<
A MULTITUDE of family heirlooms, old paintings and rare items from households across Northern Ireland were polished up and brought along to Co Fermanagh yesterday for the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow.
Hundreds queued from early morning at the spectacular Castle Coole in Enniskillen to learn more about their treasured possessions from the show’s experts, while others waited in the hope of uncovering a small fortune.
As the only stop in Northern Ireland this year for the popular long-running TV programme, the National Trust’s 18th century mansion provided the perfect backdrop for filming.
Presenting the TV series for the fourth year, Fiona Bruce said the beauty of the show was not knowing who or what would turn up on the day.
“We came to Belfast four years ago and there was a lot of Titanic memorabilia, for obvious reasons,” she said.
“But here, today, who knows what will turn up, I have absolutely no idea.
“We have had some great finds over the years. One lady came along to a show with a vase she had bought at a car boot sale.
“It turned out to be valued at around £30,000.
“So you really never know what is going to happen on this show. Of course, it would be great if something like that showed up today!”
The TV presenter and newsreader was clearly taken by the Fermanagh location, and in particular the Georgian estate.
“Isn’t it beautiful here? It really is fantastic.
“We were filming inside yesterday – some of the rooms are very grand and downstairs, where the servants would have worked, I just find fascinating.”
Paintings, lamps, furniture and even old fishing rods were among some of the items awaiting expert perusal.
First in line at 6am were a group of visitors from Cork who made their five-and-a-half hour journey to Castle Coole overnight.
“They had a painting with them which they wanted to be valued,” said an Antiques Roadshow crew member.
“I don’t think they were too worried about how much it was worth though, they told us they just wanted to be here to soak up the atmosphere.”
Belfast man Liam Smyth, meanwhile, brought along two large paintings to be valued. “I have had them for seven years, one is a Dan O’Neill from around 1945, and the other is a Cecil Maguire from around 2001,” he said.
“I just want to know a bit more about them and what they would be worth today. I suppose I’ve come to the right place!”
The Antiques Roadshow is in its 34th series this year.
Over the years there have been 623 programmes made at 494 different venues.
Around nine million objects have been brought to be valued and around 20,000 have been filmed.
The series will be broadcast over the autumn and winter of 2011 to 2012.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
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