Irish Pickers

It's an exciting week for Ian and Butzy as they cross the Irish Sea to the north of England to invest in mid-20th Century vintage and retro furniture which is much more plentiful in the UK and cheaper than in Ireland. Office manager Ali packs them off on the ferry and the lads set off on a buying spree around Manchester and Liverpool. Ian is on a roll at Pear Mill Antiques in Stockport where his current fashion trend blends in with 1970s gear to be found at the retail outlet. At Nic Nacs in Warrington it's a Victorian set of prison doors that takes his fancy and Ian feels it would be criminal to return without them to Ireland. But it's Vintage Vinny's contact at In Situ in the heart of Manchester where he really splashes out on some extraordinary items. And there's one place the lads are determined not to miss on their trip to the UK - Old Trafford, home of Manchester United… where they pay homage to footballing legends and one of Ireland's home-grown greats – George Best.

The lads are in Northern Ireland, and kick off in the capital city, Belfast, home to the shipyard Harland and Wolff, which built one of history's most famous ocean liners, the doomed SS Titanic. Ian finds a shop that has a treasure trove of maritime memorabilia. Next stop is an auction south of the border in Cavan where he bids for some turnstiles from the famous Dublin stadium Croke Park. Office manager Ali sends them back off to Ulster to a replica of a 19th Century thatched house where Ian is in awe of the recreation of a traditional rural Irish home.

Top Dublin dealer Ian Dowling and his mate Butzy head south of Dublin to County Wexford and three picking locations. In Wexford town they visit theSky and The Ground pub where hoarder Landlord Johnny Baron's wife Nuala thinks it's time for a clear-out of her husband's cluttered attic. At Loch Garman antiques the boys meet up with owner William Plummer, who's recently opened his doors to the public and Ian is the first dealer through the door. The guys then pay a visit to Neville's garage in the heart of the Wexford countryside, showing Ian an amazing collection of 100 years of motoring history built up by three generations of Greg Neville's family.

Ian and Butzy make a trip across the Irish Midlands towards County Galway. They attend an auction which is selling fittings from the 1914 cruise ship Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, the original bar is listed at €300,000! At Castle Ellen, an old stately home near Athenry in County Galway, Ian works hard to prize away objects from profuse collector Michael Keaney. Michael wants to hold on to his collection, but his daughter Deirdre is keen for Ian to buy as much as possible. At Dartfield House – an equestrian centre specializing in Connemara Ponies - Ian tries to land deals on some equine art but manager Dorothy Leahy is slow to release the reins on her favourite pieces. After much haggling deals are done and Ian has a nerve-jangling ride around the paddock on one of the centre's resident ponies.