Morgan O'Driscoll

About Morgan O'Driscoll

Morgan O'Driscoll is an Irish fine art auction house with offices in Skibbereen, Co. Cork and in Dublin. It specialises in Irish and international art and also has a jewellery department. The company trades as Fastnet Estates Limited and holds PSRA licence number 002720.

Most of its business is online. It runs regular online-only art auctions, and its main Irish and International Art auctions have catalogues and viewings in Cork and Dublin. It ships worldwide, and its app lets buyers see how a painting would look on their own wall.

History

Morgan O'Driscoll set up the firm in 1994, after studying auctioneering and estate agency in Dublin and taking a degree in valuation and estate management at the University of Greenwich in 1992. He grew up around art, since his parents collected nineteenth- and twentieth-century paintings.

O'Driscoll says his firm was the first in Ireland to hold online auctions. Online-only sales brought in bidders from well beyond Ireland. In 2015 the firm sold Jack B. Yeats's painting Business for €210,000. O'Driscoll described it as the second-best price for an Irish work of art that year.

• 1994: Morgan O'Driscoll opens his fine art firm in Skibbereen
• 2015: Jack B. Yeats's Business sells for €210,000

What Morgan O'Driscoll sells

The firm sells mainly art, from affordable online lots to major Irish paintings in its catalogued sales.

• Irish art
• International art
• Jewellery, through its jewellery department

Irish art is the core of the business. The firm's best-known results include twentieth-century names such as Jack B. Yeats.

Selling at Morgan O'Driscoll

Sellers pay a commission on the hammer price plus VAT. The terms set a minimum charge of €10 per lot plus VAT and a minimum account charge of €50 plus VAT. The main commission rate is agreed with each seller. You can consign through either the Skibbereen or the Dublin office.

Online-only sales have widened the firm's reach. O'Driscoll has said that online auctions brought in far more bidders from outside Ireland than a saleroom alone could reach. Sellers of Irish art can therefore reach buyers abroad without sending their work out of the country.

Buying and bidding

Buyers pay the hammer price plus a buyer's premium of 20%, with VAT added to the premium at the current rate. The terms give an example. On a €1,000 hammer price, the premium is €200 plus €46 VAT, so the total is €1,246.

• Register online to bid in online-only auctions
• Live bidding is available for the catalogued Irish and International Art auctions
• Worldwide shipping can be arranged after the sale

The next main Irish and International Art auction is set for 20 October 2026, with viewings in Cork and Dublin.

Location and viewing

The Cork office and gallery are at 1 Ilen Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork. The Dublin office is at Lis Cara Business Centre, 51/52 Fitzwilliam Square West, Dublin 2. Viewings for the main sales are held in Cork and in Dublin, and the firm has also held Dublin viewings at the RDS in Ballsbridge and at the RHA gallery on Ely Place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the buyer's premium at Morgan O'Driscoll?

The buyer's premium is 20% of the hammer price, with VAT added to the premium at the current rate. On a €1,000 hammer price, the total is €1,246.

Can I bid online at Morgan O'Driscoll?

Yes. The firm says it was the first in Ireland to hold online auctions. It runs regular online-only art sales, and live bidding is available for its catalogued auctions.

Where is Morgan O'Driscoll based?

The firm has offices at 1 Ilen Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork and at 51/52 Fitzwilliam Square West, Dublin 2. Viewings for its main sales are held in both Cork and Dublin.