Government under fire for no bid on Pearse letter

Intrigue surrounds the purchase of the letter after an anonymous telephone bidder came up with almost Euro700,000 — nearly ten times its guide price — to secure the historic document last Tuesday night.
It is thought that the bidder is based in Europe, prompting fears that the letter will leave the country. Several Irish-American bidders are said to have been interested in the document.
The letter, written by Pearse on April 30, 1916, before his execution by Crown forces, had been priced at