logo
Man who sold ‘extraordinarily rare' Seamus Heaney books has stolen property charge dismissed

Man who sold ‘extraordinarily rare' Seamus Heaney books has stolen property charge dismissed

Irish Times09-06-2025
A book dealer who claimed he bought two missing and 'extraordinarily rare'
Seamus Heaney
first editions worth €2,000 at a bric-a-brac stall has walked free from court.
Alan Ladak (70), of Fahy Gardens, Loughrea, Co
Galway
, admitted he was reckless in buying the books for about €40 each, with a view to selling them for a profit.
He pleaded not guilty at
Dublin District Court
to possessing stolen property last year, namely two books by the late Nobel Prize-winning poet – The Tollund Man, worth €1,250, and Shivers, valued at €750. The books previously disappeared from Kenny's Books in Galway.
They were located after Mr Ladak later went to sell them to the Temple Bar Bookshop in Dublin between May 1st and June 30th, 2024 and on October 6th, 2024.
READ MORE
Granting a dismissal, Judge Adrian Harris accepted legal submissions from defence counsel Aoife Mutch, which focused on the lack of evidence presented in court, as the two books, after being returned, were re-sold before the trial.
He was also found not guilty of unlawful possession of a knife on the date of his arrest.
Garda Alan Cawley questioned Mr Ladak, originally from England, who brought Shivers to the Temple Bar Bookshop on October 6th and returned four days later to complete the sale.
Mr Ladak's statement recorded that he was offered €200 for Shivers
on October 6th. He recalled selling
The Tollund Man
for €250 between May and June of last year.
He maintained he bought each book for about €40 from an anonymous bric-a-brac stall in Galway city centre.
Mr Ladak denied knowing they were stolen, but he agreed he had been reckless and was not diligent in establishing where the books came from.
'I thought they were cheap at the time, and I hoped to make money,' he said during interview, adding that he hoped to receive €200 for each.
Asked why he came to Dublin to sell them, he told the garda he had free travel, it was a day out and there were more shops there.
Tomás Kenny, of Kenny's Bookshop, recalled being contacted by Temple Bar Books about the edition of Shivers Mr Ladak brought in. He said only 125 copies were printed.
He described that edition as 'extraordinarily rare', having been signed to poet Gerard Fanning.
He said publisher Peter Fallon had autographed the other book and they had previously gone missing from his bookstore.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Three men charged in relation to seizure of €340,700 in cash
Three men charged in relation to seizure of €340,700 in cash

Irish Times

timean hour ago

  • Irish Times

Three men charged in relation to seizure of €340,700 in cash

Three men have appeared in court charged in connection with the seizure of more than €340,700 in cash in Drumcondra, north Dublin on Friday. Mohamed Alsourani (43), Anas Altahlh (40) and Issa Al Aboud (43) appeared before Dublin District Court on Saturday evening. The three men are charged with being in possession of the cash knowing or believing it was the proceeds of criminal conduct. Gardaí told the court that the men were stopped in a taxi while on the way to Dublin Airport after the Garda Response Team received confidential information. The men had arrived in Ireland on July 22nd and stayed in a room in a hotel in the north inner city. The court heard two of the men are Syrian-Swedish citizens and that an Arabic translator would be required for the third man. READ MORE Judge Anthony Halpin refused bail for the three men while legal aid was granted. They will appear before Cloverhill District Court for mention on July 30th.

Man (40s) hospitalised following assault in Dublin city centre
Man (40s) hospitalised following assault in Dublin city centre

Irish Times

time2 hours ago

  • Irish Times

Man (40s) hospitalised following assault in Dublin city centre

Gardaí have confirmed that they are investigating an assault in Sean McDermott Street in Dublin 1 in which a man in his forties suffered 'serious injuries.' The assault took place at around 10pm on Friday. The injured man was transferred by ambulance to Beaumont Hospital where he continues to receive treatment. No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing. Anyone who witnessed this incident or has information relating to the assault is asked to contact Mountjoy Garda Station on 01 666 8000 or the Garda Confidential line on 1800 666 111.

Gardaí question three men following seizure of €345,000 in cash
Gardaí question three men following seizure of €345,000 in cash

Irish Times

time4 hours ago

  • Irish Times

Gardaí question three men following seizure of €345,000 in cash

Three men in their forties are being questioned by Gardaí in connection with the seizure of €345,640 in cash following the search of a vehicle in Drumcondra in Dublin on Friday. The search was carried out as part of an operation targeting an organised crime group involved in money laundering and the sale and sale of drugs in Dublin. Members of the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT) searched three male passengers in the vehicle and their luggage and located and seized the cash. The men are being detained in garda stations in the Dublin region. Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary, Dublin Metropolitan Region said that this 'significant seizure' of cash not only removes ill-gotten gains from the hands of criminals, but also deprives them of money they would have used to 'fund further criminal activities and cause harm in our communities.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store