Roger Casement 'treasure map' to be auctioned

A treasure map drawn by Easter Rising rebel Roger Casement is to be sold at auction with experts predicting a sale price of more than €2,000.
Casement buried the ‘treasure’ after his mission to import guns from Germany ahead of the Rising failed.
He had been landed at Banna Strand in Co Kerry by a German U-Boat submarine. There, he was supposed to receive guns and weaponry smuggled from Germany for use in the Easter Rising.
However, the ship carrying the guns, the Aud, was intercepted by the British authorities and the crew scuttled it.
Casement was arrested by Royal Irish Constabulary officers within a few hours. He was transferred to London and when questioned by Major Frank Hall at Scotland Yard.
One of Hall’s descendants has discovered a map drawn by Casement, and also notes from Hall about the case.
Casement listed “GBP 50 in gold and silver; 1 pair binoculars; and 1 lamp” had been buried “under some fern bracken & bramble” in a fairy fort close to Currahane Moat near Ardfert.
Auctioneer Simon Chorley travelled to Ireland to research the map’s history. He found that the British authorities dug up Casement’s stash and divided it up amongst themselves.
It turned out that Casement had hidden more than he had told the police. As well as the gold and silver coins, there were gold cuff links, pistols and a flag of the Irish Republic.
Major Hall’s documents on the case revealed that the gold and silver coins were given to the two officers that had arrested Casement in Kerry. Hall kept three mauser pistols himself, and claimed he gave one to Major Ivor Price “who used it at Connie Marciewitz [sic] at the Castle & missed her”.
The map is expected to sell for around €2,000 when it goers under the hammer tomorrow. Other items in Major Hall’s collection will be sold separately.
newsletter.html”]
easter-rising.html