The Irish Pickers team will travel the length and breadth of the island of Ireland from farms to stately homes, family businesses, private collectors, architectural salvage dealers, and museums looking for amazing items of national and local historical significance.
 

The new series will follow the team as they buy and sell everything from ornaments, street signs, military artefacts, retro games, model cars, shop fittings, prints, posters, adverts and more. If it’s Irish and has a history, they’re interested - and so are we! Join the Irish Pickers - Ian, Ali, Butzy, Vintage Vinny and Max - from Thursday 19th March #IrishPickers

Dublin dealer and history enthusiast Ian Dowling has made a living from the art of picking and selling Irish treasures. For years he has travelled all over Ireland and the UK, hunting down and buying collectibles that tell stories of the country’s past.

 The Irish Pickers head to prestigious, interesting and historic places, hunting out and purchasing unusual objects previously hidden from the world. Narrated by Ireland’s own Ardal O’Hanlon (Father Ted, My Hero) , Irish Pickers follows Ian and his team as they uncover quirky gems that paint a picture of Ireland’s rich history – with famous tales, heroes and villains from years gone by, including St Patrick himself, featuring throughout.

Accompanying Ian on this Irish road trip is his best mate and trusty side-kick Mark Butterly aka ‘Butzy’. Together they visit everywhere from farms to stately homes, family businesses, private collectors, salvage dealers, and museums, looking for items of national and local significance. Items ripe for picking include ornaments, street signs, military artefacts, retro games, model cars, shop fittings, prints, posters, adverts and more. If it’s Irish and has a history, they’re interested.

Ian negotiates hard for the best deals from the vendors which he moves on for a profit once back in the Dublin office. But the boys are not alone in their search, with office manager Ali Foy helping to organise the business and delving into the provenance of the items. Retired dealer ‘Vintage Vinny’, so called because of his experience and contacts in the antiques game, lends Ian a hand in tracking down the objects and advising on where best to sell them. The four are joined by Vinny’s dog Max, who’s rumoured to have a nose for a bargain himself!

EPISODE 1 – CORK

Ian and Butzy are searching for treasures in Ireland’s largest county - Cork. They go picking at an 11th Century castle built by the grandson of Brian Boru, high king of Ireland. Undeterred by its turbulent past and tales of ghosts Ian discovers a mysterious stone head, a carving of a famous figure from Irish mythology, and a gadget he just loves even though it dates not from the 1060s but the 1960s! At Blackwater Antiques he deals hard with antique dealer Mike Geurin to get his hands on some wonderful Irish pieces from the early 20th Century. Vintage Vinny and Max travel down to join Ian and Butzy at Bantry Bay market which attracts dealers from all over Ireland and the UK and Ian has a field day trawling through the stalls.

EPISODE 2 - KERRY

It’s off to the dramatic scenery of County Kerry for dealer Ian and Butzy to see what Irish memorabilia he can invest in to turn over a profit. His first pick is to Curran’s pub in Dingle which has been in James Curran’s family for four generations. It’s a struggle for Ian to get James to part with items at reasonable prices, but after some fierce haggling deals are struck. Ian and Butzy have a boat trip to see the local celebrity – Fungi the Dolphin – and then wend their way through the Kerry Mountains to Killarney Antiques where Ian meets his match with antique dealer Pat O’Connor. On their way back to Dublin, office manager Ali calls in with a detour for the lads to go to the Kerry Bog village which is opening its doors to dealing for the very first time – an opportunity Ian can’t miss.

EPISODE 3 – TIPPERARY/LIMERICK

It’s a long, long way to Tipperary for Ian and Butzy in their search for the very best of Irish pieces, but the trip is worth it when Ian negotiates many successful deals at Killeneure Castle. It’s not plain sailing as owner Eavunn Carmody has been an antique dealer herself and knows the price of her Irish collectibles. It’s all rock n’ roll in Limerick City with Kieran Murray, a former music promoter and nightclub owner. Ian is very taken with various pop memorabilia from U2 and Thin Lizzy, but his biggest outlay is for a bar that film star and hellraiser Oliver Reed drank at… and there’s photographic evidence to give it true provenance. And before they return home, office manager Ali phones in with a heavenly pick off a religious business that has been specialising in decorating churches since the 19th Century. 

EPISODE 4 – DEALERS 

Doing business with other dealers is at the heart of the antique and collectible business, and today Ian is travelling all around the country to find the very best items to buy and sell on for a profit. He’s also on the search for a very special antique for a friend and contact in the US – celebrity tattooist Mark Mahoney – whose clients include Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. In his quest to find the right object for Mark, Ian buys a range of historical Irish pieces – including some trench art from WW1, a portrait of a cooper at the Guinness Brewery, chairs from St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin and some medals from an Irish Revolutionary and spy…. But when Mark arrives at Mulligans HQ will he like what he’s shown and be prepared to pay top dollar?

EPISODE 5 – MAYO

The Irish Pickers are in the very west of Ireland in County Mayo, visiting an antiques and rare bookstore run by Roger Grimes in the small town of Mulranny. Ian spends more than a penny on an antique toilet bowl, and he’s tempted by an ancient treasure chest possibly left behind from the time of the Spanish Armada. After a spot of fishing at Clew Bay the lads head to a pub in Swinford where, bizarrely, there’s a framed print promoting abstinence, but can Ian spirit up the cash to buy this unique piece? The final stop off is at Charlestown at an antiques shop where Ian discovers some fascinating political memorabilia.

EPISODE 6 – DUBLIN/WATERFORD

The boys’ first buying trip today is on his home turf of Dublin, where they visit some old contacts in the antiques corner of the capital and cut some great deals. Ian sells an antique clock to one of Ireland’s oldest pubs, the Brazen Head, where he turns over a profit of €325 in less than a couple of hours. Ian and Butzy then journey to Waterford to a salvage yard situated on the striking coastline of the Celtic Sea. There are remarkable discoveries made at this remote location including a €10,000 portrait and a pulpit that the Rev Ian Paisley reputedly preached from. And in Waterford there’s the county’s world-famous crystal to bid on at a busy auction. Back at Mulligans office manager Ali researches some of Ian’s best buys. 

EPISODE 7 – UK

It’s an exciting week for Ian and Butzy as they cross the Irish Sea to the north of England to invest in mid-20th Century vintage and retro furniture which is much more plentiful in the UK and cheaper than in Ireland. Office manager Ali packs them off on the ferry and the lads set off on a buying spree around Manchester and Liverpool. Ian is on a roll at Pear Mill Antiques in Stockport where his current fashion trend blends in with 1970s gear to be found at the retail outlet. At Nic Nacs in Warrington it’s a Victorian set of prison doors that takes his fancy and Ian feels it would be criminal to return without them to Ireland. But it’s Vintage Vinny’s contact at In Situ in the heart of Manchester where he really splashes out on some extraordinary items. And there’s one place the lads are determined not to miss on their trip to the UK - Old Trafford, home of Manchester United… where they pay homage to footballing legends and one of Ireland’s home-grown greats – George Best.  

EPISODE 8 – ULSTER

The lads are in Northern Ireland, and kick off in the capital city, Belfast, home to the shipyard Harland and Wolff, which built one of history’s most famous ocean liners, the doomed SS Titanic. Ian finds a shop that has a treasure trove of maritime memorabilia. Next stop is an auction south of the border in Cavan where he bids for some turnstiles from the famous Dublin stadium Croke Park. Office manager Ali sends them back off to Ulster to a replica of a 19th Century thatched house where Ian is in awe of the recreation of a traditional rural Irish home. 

EPISODE 9 – WEXFORD

Top Dublin dealer Ian Dowling and his mate Butzy head south of Dublin to County Wexford and three picking locations. In Wexford town they visit theSky and The Ground pub where hoarder Landlord Johnny Baron’s wife Nuala thinks it’s time for a clear-out of her husband’s cluttered attic. At Loch Garman antiques the boys meet up with owner William Plummer, who’s recently opened his doors to the public and Ian is the first dealer through the door. The guys then pay a visit to Neville’s garage in the heart of the Wexford countryside, showing Ian an amazing collection of 100 years of motoring history built up by three generations of Greg Neville’s family. 

EPISODE 10 – GALWAY

Ian and Butzy make a trip across the Irish Midlands towards County Galway. They attend an auction which is selling fittings from the 1914 cruise ship Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, the original bar is listed at €300,000! At Castle Ellen, an old stately home near Athenry in County Galway, Ian works hard to prize away objects from profuse collector Michael Keaney. Michael wants to hold on to his collection, but his daughter Deirdre is keen for Ian to buy as much as possible. At Dartfield House – an equestrian centre specializing in Connemara Ponies - Ian tries to land deals on some equine art but manager Dorothy Leahy is slow to release the reins on her favourite pieces. After much haggling deals are done and Ian has a nerve-jangling ride around the paddock on one of the centre’s resident ponies.

BLAZE brings you a new antiquing show - Rockstar style! Meet the Team:

IAN– the main dealer and the one with tons of knowledge on antiques, he knows what can make money!

BUTSY – he's a self-declared side kick, he is the roadie that makes things happen. He does the lifting and sifting for Ian. More importantly, he’s Ian’s best mate and his no.1 desired road companion.

VINTAGE VINNY– looks like a relic but what this man doesn’t know about antiques isn’t worth knowing!

ALI – the vital lynchpin that keeps it all together and seeks out the boys leads.

And GARY the landlord of the pub where the business is based – who keeps the bar polished and everyone’s glasses full as they review and appraise their finds.

#IrishPickers starts Thursday 19th March. 

Irish Pickers will follow the team as they buy and sell everything from ornaments, street signs, military artifacts, retro games, model cars, shop fittings, prints, posters, adverts and more. If it’s Irish and has a history, they’re interested - and so are we!

Don't miss this new antique show - with style

#IrishPickers starts March 19th at 9pm.

They say everyone’s a little bit Irish on St Patrick’s Day. We say that’s a load of nonsense, because everyone is actually entirely 100% Irish on St Patrick’s Day, and that’s a scientifically verifiable fact. Here are the best places where you, as an Irish human, can celebrate your patron saint of your nation properly every March. 

You might think Dublin would host the biggest St Paddy’s shenanigans, but nope. North America is where you need to go if you want a celebration so gigantic, it’ll feel like a beer garden crossed with a Game of Thrones battle scene. The most OTT, party of all is in New York City, home to the world’s largest St Paddy’s parade. Fun fact: it threw its first St Patrick’s festivities in 1762, before the United States actually existed. THAT’S how much they love it there. 

Canada would not be listed among the most likely destinations if you looked up ‘crazy fun party time’ in the dictionary. But come St Paddy’s Day, Montreal goes all out, with more green hats, green beer and green parade floats than you can shake a bottle of Irish whiskey at. We’d expect nothing less from a city that literally has a shamrock on its flag. (To be honest, we’re a bit surprised cities even have flags, but that’s beside the point.)

Yes, it hosts pub crawls and parades and all the usual St Patrick’s hedonism that makes people wake up at 4pm the next day unable to remember who or what they are. But the thing that really makes Chicago a top destination for Irish-themed revelry? It’s the river. The Chicago River, which is dyed a bright green every year. Interestingly, the dye itself is actually orange before it gets added to the water. The only explanation is magic. Leprechaun magic. 

Didn’t see this one coming, did you? But actually, Argentina has an estimated half a million citizens of Irish descent, thanks to migrants coming over from the Emerald Isle in the 19th Century. Che Guevara himself had an Irish great-great-great-great-grandfather called Patrick Lynch, and that’s officially the best fact you’ll learn all day. Come St Patrick’s Day, or Dia de San Patricio, the capital city comes alive with Irish concerts, dance troupes and people consuming beer for breakfast. It’s what St Patrick would have wanted.

In 2019, over 1,600 people got together in Sydney for what was billed as the ‘largest St Patrick’s Day lunch in the world’. Which was both impressive (1,600!) and surprising (because the closest thing to food you should be allowed to eat on St Paddy’s Day is Guinness). But anyway, Sydney is definitely a St Patrick’s hotspot, even turning lighting up its iconic Opera House in green for the occasion. 

You were thinking it wasn’t going to be on the list, weren’t you? Well of course it was. And, while Dublin’s St Patrick’s celebrations may not be as vast as places like NYC, they do go on for days at a time, with all kinds of gigs and assorted events on offer. Just take a cattle prod if you’re intending to brave the crowds of Temple Bar. You’ll certainly need the luck of the Irish to get out of there in one piece.

In brand new series Irish Pickers, self-styled vintage connoisseur and historical dealer, Ian Dowling and best mate Butzy travel the length and breadth of Ireland on the hunt for unusual objects and collectables that tell the story of Ireland’s past. 

Dowling: ‘Picking is the art of buying items with the view to making a profit. For me, I like buying stuff that has a story attached. It’s not just about money but I also like to connect a piece with a new home. Hopefully, connect something that is unloved with somebody that will love it and treasure it for many years. And make a bit of profit along the way.’

Buying and selling collectables has been a life-long passion for the Dublin dealer who made his very first deal while still in primary school. 

Dowling: ‘I've always been able to buy something for a pound and sell it for two or three pounds. The first thing I ever bought was a baby monitor from a parish fete. I bought it for 50p and I sold it for £35. And that was me hooked.’

Though Ian made his first pick in a church fete his advice is to seek out private collectors for the best deals. In the series Ian and Butzy visit stately homes, family businesses, private collectors, salvage dealers, and museums to find those unique items.

Dowling: ‘If you can get access to a collector or a hoarder that's the best way to get a bit of value. If you go to an auction especially, you're competing with other dealers and it's much harder to make a profit.’

Making a profit is the name of the game and the duo hit the jackpot in Limerick City at the collection of a former music promoter and nightclub owner. Amongst the pop memorabilia from U2 and Thin Lizzy, there’s a piece with links to a famous English actor and hell-raiser.

Dowling: ‘The biggest margin I made in the series was from a bar Oliver Reed used to frequent after he had moved to Ireland. There's a photograph of him standing beside it. I bought that for seven hundred and I sold it for five grand.'

A bar is just one of the quirky gems that Ian and Butzy pick in a series full of weird and wonderful artefacts. The Irish Pickers are always on the lookout for these rare, one of a kind items as it means they're more likely to turn a much larger profit. For instance, there was one item that Ian found on the wall of a pub that is absolutely unique.

Dowling: 'We found a petition from 1876 signed by noble folk, you can tell from the names and address that they have quite a good social standing. They were petitioning to have the law changed in 1876 to allow you to marry your dead wife's sister. 

‘It's a really quirky piece and Ali (Ali Foy) – who manages the Dublin office and researches the provenance of items – looked into it a bit more and the law was changed a couple of years later. This petition may have actually brought about a change in the law, to allow you to marry your dead wife's sister.'

While there are lots of interesting objects of cultural significance in the show, the owners of these pieces are just as fascinating. In a show full of characters, one dealer particularly sticks out for Ian.

Dowling: ‘There was a publican and antiques dealer down in Dingle who owns Curran's pub down there. I don't know if you know Kerry folk, but they wouldn't want a young lad to come down from Dublin and beat them in a sense. He was probably the toughest negotiator, I came across, but I love that. There are so many interesting personalities out there and it's great to capture them.’

Ian’s art of the deal when it comes to negotiation with tough customers like the Dingle publican is pretty ballsy.

Dowling: ‘Number one rule. Really just go in with a low-ball offer. Go in so low that you should almost be embarrassed to ask. There might be shock and disbelief, but you flush out their response from the first. Then you can work out their bottom line and then you go from there and try and get a few bob off.’

Picking is not just about buying it’s also about knowing the right time to sell and when to hang onto an item, especially when it has real historical significance.

Dowling: ‘I did have a Good Friday Agreement that I really regret selling and I'd love to find another. The one I had was signed by all the parties involved in the negotiations, John Hume, Mo Mowlam, Tony Blair everybody. A huge piece of Irish history. I sold that too quick.

‘I'd love to own one myself and if I can find another one of those - which is going to be very hard - I'd treasure it.’

Haggling. It isn’t just for when you’re in a Moroccan souk buying a tagine pot which you’ll absolutely use to cook authentic North African stews back in Shropshire (and absolutely not just stuff in the back of a kitchen cupboard, never to be seen or remembered again).

No, haggling can also be essential when you’re on the prowl for antiques closer to home. In Irish Pickers, vintage dealer Ian Dowling and his crew of Irish treasure hunters know exactly how to use the gift of the gab to bag a bargain. Want to have a go yourself? Here’s how.

Being all cool and aloof might work when you’re talking to a bank manager but with an antiques seller, you should show the love. Be enthusiastic. Feel the item up. Look at it with tender affection, like it’s a mirror and you’re Kanye. Ask questions about its provenance. This will build a rapport with the seller, and it’ll make you look like you’re serious about buying… given the right price.

Swallow your pride and just do it. In the words of Irish Picker Ian Dowling, 'Go in so low that you should almost be embarrassed to ask.' Won’t this rub them up the wrong way? Not if you do it politely, and aren’t an absolute spanner about it. This way, you’ll quickly suss out what their absolute bottom line is, and work up from there. It puts you in the driving seat, negotiation-wise.

If you feel like the seller is considering your offer and needs a gentle push (a metaphorical push; try not to actually get yourself arrested), then offer to buy a few other smaller items too. This will sweeten the deal for the seller, who’ll probably give you a good 'all in' price. Plus you’ll come away with a set of novelty dog-shaped egg cups you never knew you needed in your life.

Seriously, don’t. It’ll make you look like you deep-down know the item is worth the original asking price, and you’re just trying to pull a fast one. But it’s a fine line, because you don’t want to be cocky or arrogant either. Just… self-assured, like you’re making an entirely reasonable suggestion which any seller should be delighted to accept. Imagine Tom Hardy asking out your mum. Yep. Just like that.

'What’s your best price?' It’s the natural, knee-jerk, go-to question for would-be hagglers. But it can actually stop negotiations before they really start, unless you blatantly ignore their 'best price' despite literally just asking for it. Don’t make the seller suggest a price – it’s up to you to push them down as low as they’ll go. The best price is what you make it. Now go forth and buy that glass cabinet of Victorian taxidermy ferrets for a tenner. Your house will thank you.

The Irish Pickers are historical treasure hunters with a rock n' roll swagger. Ian Dowling is the frontman who with his best mate Butzy travel across Ireland on the search for unusual collectables. This is rockstar antiquing at its very best. 

It’s all rock n’ roll in Limerick City, in episode three where the Pickers visit a former music promoter and nightclub owner to peruse his collection of pop memorabilia from bands such as Thin Lizzy and U2.

No-one knows more about pop memorabilia than Ian especially when it comes to U2 but there are some things even he won't know about Bono and the boys.

With decades of influence within the music scene, U2 have gone beyond rock star status to become global titans. A blend of Bono’s heartfelt vocals, The Edge’s…edgy guitar style, Adam Clayton’s driving bass and Larry Mullen Jr.’s military drumming have created instant classics such as With or Without You, Beautiful Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday. This eminence has continued from studio to stage, with memorable performances including those at Live Aid 1985 and Superbowl XXXVI. Alright, eulogy done, how about we drop into some of the lesser-known of Dublin’s finest?

In 1976 a 14-year-old Larry Mullen Jr. posted on the notice board of Mount Temple Comprehensive School looking for potential bandmates. Six people responded. Six became four. The rest is history.

Well, they were originally named Feedback. Following their first gig for a paying audience in April 1977 this was changed to The Hype. They finally settled for U2 in March 1978 after being suggested by Steve Averill (A punk rock musician and family friend of Claytons). Whilst some believe the name to be linked to the Cold War era U2 programme, it was chosen for its ambiguity and vagueness, having no direct meaning attached to it. 

‘We don’t really know what we’re doing and when we do, it doesn’t seem to help’ – Bono

Bono was born Paul David Hewson. During his childhood and adolescences, he was part of a surrealist street gang with a knack for nickname giving. Hewson adopted a myriad of names before landing on Bonavox – a Latin phrase translated to ‘good voice’. This was soon shortened to Bono, which to this day remains his stage name…and a calling card for many friends and family.

Surprisingly, The Edge also wasn’t born with such a name - David Howell Evans being what you’d find on his birth certificate. The title is commonly believed to be a nod to his sharp facial features, whilst other theories note his guitar playing style or personality as reasoning.

‘It’s a real drag if you don’t like yourself ‘cos you spend a lot of time with yourself’– The Edge

The group have ventured into the realms of TV and Film; Bono and The Edge wrote the song GoldenEye for the 1995 Bond title of the same name, whilst Clayton and Mullen worked on the theme for 1996’s Mission Impossible. The Edge is also credited with creating the theme song for seasons one and two of The Batman animated series.

In the spring of 1987, the band launched an expansive North American and European tour for their newly released album The Joshua Tree. At some of these concerts, a small-time country band called The Dalton Brothers (a name inspired by the notorious Dalton Gang of the 1890s) appeared, playing in between sets. A country band who were in fact the Irish quartet themselves– just with wigs, cowboy hats, and western clothing. A site has also been created for The Dalton Brothers with the tagline ‘we play two kinds of music: country and western’.

At a time when musical formats were at a crossroads, U2’s crown jewel The Joshua Tree was the first album to be issued on CD, tape, and vinyl simultaneously. The album has since become a critical and commercial success; in 1999 it was awarded the RIAA’s highest certification, Diamond, with 10 million units sold. 

‘I didn’t join a band to be famous. I joined a band to hit things’ - Larry Mullen Jr.

At 22, U2 also holds the record for the most Grammys won by a group. Notably, The Joshua Tree won album of the year in 1988 (the group are the only Irish act to win this award), with Beautiful Day seizing record and song of the year in 2001. Furthermore, their album All That You Can’t Leave Behind is the only in history to have different singles win record of the year.

On March 14th, 2005 and on their first year of eligibility - being 25 years after the release of their first record – U2 were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. That night, a rather comedic Bruce Springsteen introduced them with the line ‘They believed in themselves but more importantly they believed in you too’.

Brand new series Irish Pickers follows vintage conoisseur Ian Dowling and his best mate Butzy, as they go on a rummage around Ireland for treasures to buy and sell. It got us thinking… wouldn’t it be cool if they stumbled across the long-lost Irish Crown Jewels? Why, yes. Yes it would. 

Yes and no. There were a pair of gem-encrusted treasures, consisting of a star and a brooch, that were known as the “Irish Crown Jewels”. But they weren’t actually used during coronations. Instead, these flashy items – emblazoned with diamonds and rubies and emerald shamrocks, and basically looking like something Liberace might have worn if he hailed from Cork – were worn at initiation ceremonies for the Order of St Patrick, an old order of knighthood.

Somebody nicked them, is what. It was on 6 July 1907 that staff at Dublin Castle realised the jewels had vanished from their safe. Blame fell on Sir Arthur Vicars, the Ulster King of Arms, who was meant to be looking after the precious items. To be fair, he had displayed Mr Bean-levels of incompetence in the run-up to the theft, once waking up after a drinking session to find the jewels hanging around his neck. Another time, a posh pal of his stole the jewels and sent them to Vicars in the post as a joke. What larks! 

Funny you should ask, but yes, it very much appears there were. In the aftermath of the theft, some speculated that the authorities knew exactly who had nabbed the jewels, but had covered things up because Dublin Castle was also where local gay aristocrats apparently got together for illicit raunchy shenanigans behind closed doors. In the words of a clearly livid politician called Laurence Ginnell, the police had found evidence of 'criminal debauchery and sodomy being committed in the castle', and wanted the whole matter hushed up to avoid a scandal

Two names brought up in connection with both the theft and the alleged orgies were army captain Richard Gorges (dubbed 'a reckless bully, a robber, a murderer, a bugger, and a sod' by Ginnell), and Frank Shackleton, brother of famed Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. Honestly, we’ll probably never know who did the deed, although Frank Shackleton WAS later convicted of fraud and Richard Gorges DID later get done for killing a policeman, so the idea of nabbing some jewels probably wouldn’t have made either of them clutch their pearls and reach for the smelling salts. Just saying.

Chances are they were broken up and sold off, gem-by-gem, many decades ago. But that’s boring, so let’s instead imagine they’re in an old snuff box under the stairs of a junk shop in Limerick, just waiting for the Irish Pickers to dig them out. Now that would be worth a celebratory Guinness or two.