A Cavan man is putting his extensive collection of thousands of items bought at car boot sales over the course of three decades up for auction. 

Hugh Nolan, 66, has spent the last 30 years collecting vintage signposts, and other memorabilia and will sell more than 1,200 items during an online auction on March 27 and 28. 

A motor enthusiast who has spent the last 30 years as a contract manager in the Belfast construction trade, Nolan said he is auctioning off his collection to mark his retirement from work. 

He told the Irish Independent that he has lived a "second life" traveling to car boot sales throughout the country, allowing him to open McNean Antique and Salvage Shop in Blacklion, Co Cavan.

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"I never told anyone I had a second life while I was working in the building trade; I would get up at 5 am on a Sunday to do the car boot sale circuit," Nolan told the Irish Independent. 

"I sold nothing and bought everything; I had things stored in every nook and cranny of the house, from the attic to the garage, before opening the store." 

All of the collectibles in Nolan's store will be available to purchase at the auction on Monday and Tuesday, including roughly 200 vintage Irish street signs. 

Nolan said the street signs are highly sought-after among Irish ex-pats, especially those who run Irish pubs and restaurants overseas. 

In previous auctions, some vintage street signs have fetched thousands of euros. 

"The signage would have come into private ownership as they were being replaced. They are worthless to whoever is swapping them out for a newer sign, so in many cases, they would have been marked to be destroyed," Nolan told the Irish Independent. 

Nolan is also auctioning off his 3.5L, 1970 Rover V8, which he has owned since 2006. The vintage car has been professionally resprayed and is in full working order and has a guided price of €15,000. 

However, Nolan said he intends to keep some of his vintage cars, including a Triumph Spitfire and a Jaguar. 

Nolan remarked that auctions such as the one he is holding usually only take place when the owner of a collection dies. 

"I want to put mine on the market now while I can enjoy it and have many conversations with similar-minded enthusiasts," he said. 

Antique dealers Aidan Foley and Niall Mullen will coordinate next week's auction. Click here to find out more.