A chara, – Regarding the reported sale of a copy of the Proclamation owned by Dr James Ryan, we, his daughter and son, would like to say how surprised we were to read in The Irish Times this report ("Proclamation with GPO connections to be auctioned in Dublin", January 21st). We have no knowledge of any such document ever being in the family, and certainly no knowledge of any such sale after our father's death in 1970.
It would have been completely out of character for our mother, or any members of the family, to sell such an historic document as the Proclamation for financial gain.
All our parents’ writings and memorabilia have been presented to the appropriate archives, including the UCD Archives, the National Library and the Military Archives.
In addition, our father left detailed accounts of his time in the GPO, including the evacuation, and there is no reference to his possession of such an important document. – Is mise,
NUALA COLGAN,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin;
and SEAMUS Ó RIAIN,
Sandymount, Dublin 4.