Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Football & Sporting Memorabilia
Held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
10th, 11th & 12th April 2026
Lot 1636
Estimate: £30/50
Hammer: £42
Northern Ireland (and Ireland) home international programmes 1947-2008. A good selection of fifteen official programmes for ‘home’ matches played at Windsor Park, Belfast (one ‘away’). Includes Home Internationals, Ireland v Scotland 4th October 1947 (possibly a ‘pirate’ programme), Northern Ireland v Wales 31st March 1965, v Scotland 2nd October 1965. Friendlies v Italy, 4th December 1957, v Romania 23rd March 1994, v Belgium 11th February 1997. World Cup qualifiers v Holland 17th March 1965, v Albania 7th May 1965, v Scotland 14th October 1981, v Hungary 6th September 1989, v Portugal 29th March 1997. European Championship qualifier v Austria 16th October 1991 etc. Also one ‘away’ programme v Wales, Wrexham 27th May 1972. Heavy folds and wear to the 1947 programme, other odd faults, otherwise in good condition.
The 1957 match against Italy, dubbed ‘The Battle of Belfast’, was originally scheduled as a World Cup qualifying match, but was downgraded to a friendly when the match referee was unable to reach the ground due to fog. The highly volatile match was drawn 2-2.