WEDNESDAY'S sale of Irish art at James Adam in Dublin saw a strong turn-out of predominantly private buyers, demonstrating that this market is once again buoyant. The day's best-seller, as expected, was a canvas by Leech called Tennis Court; it went a little over the top estimate to make £42,000.

A Paul Henry view of cottages and turf in Connemara sold for £18,000 and a large and brilliantly coloured Colin Middleton oil, which fully lived up to its title of The Power and the Glory, fetched £17,000. Examples of Daniel O'Neill's work found buyers willing in some instances to pay more than the estimates. Returning Home, for example, was expected to sell for £4,000-£6,000 but eventually made £8,000. Girl in a River Landscape (estimate £3,000-£4,000) fetched £4,600 and Farm yard (£2,000-£3,000) sold for £3,200.

Similarly, a Norah McGuinness gouache view of Limerick surpassed its top estimate of £4,000 to go for £6,500 and Basil Blackshaw's oil of a cock (estimate £7,000-£9,000) made £16,500. Balloon Man by William Conor sold for £11,000 and Patrick Hennessy's The Flight of Wild White Horses went under the hammer at £10,000.