Ireland

'Graveyard plot of choice for two' auction by Co Monaghan GAA club

The graveyard plot has been donated by the local parish
The graveyard plot has been donated by the local parish The graveyard plot has been donated by the local parish

TEA for two may be a more usual auction prize but one Co Monaghan GAA club is seeking to clear its debts by starting a bidding war on "a graveyard plot for two".

The "plot of your choice in Corduff or Raferagh" is among range of prizes on offer at a gala ball in the tiny townland in Carrickmacross parish.

Corduff Gaels GFC have already received reserve bids on Six Nations match tickets for Ireland vs England in Dublin's Aviva Stadium and VIP tickets to the All Ireland Football Final at Croke Park - although the club believes they will be outbid on the night.

However, it is the graveyard plot, donated by the local parish, which has excited the most interest, according to club chairman Seamus McEnaney.

"A few people have their eyes on it. People are not very keen to go into the plot, but very keen to have one," he said.

"I'm looking forward to people putting reserves on it."

The generosity of the parish is borne out of the close relationship between it and the club, which is celebrating 50 years since it was founded with the gala ball on Saturday.

"We are a small rural club and they are big supporters, we have a great, tight knit community," he said.

"Our priest is Fr (Brendan) McCague, who is brother of ex-president of the GAA Sean McCague."

The event is the "final fundraiser leaving our club debt-free" after it spent €1.5 million in 2003 on "state of the art facilities".

Among the prizes which are expected to propel Corduff back into the black is a European weekend break for two, including flights and accommodation, and two pairs of English Premier League tickets.

A more esoteric offering is a Golden Charolais weaning heifer (six months old), donated by Paddy Hand and Ciaran Duffy.

However, it is the graveyard plot which the club believe is the stand-out prize.

"When we started to gather operations and talk about finding something for auction that was unique to the club, one of the members said: 'There's nothing more unique than a plot in the graveyard'," Mr McEnaney said.

"It's a brilliant auction. You can't buy a plot in our graveyard as plots are scarce."

The chairman is keen to stress that bidding is not restricted to the tiny townland.

"Anyone can get in touch with me a place a bid (on 00353 87 2632990).

"This is just huge, huge, huge and has taken on legs these last couple of days."