http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Alfred_Beit,_2nd_Baronet

Art thefts

In 1974, an IRA gang led by Rose Dugdale broke into Russborough House, making off with nineteen paintings, including a Goya, a Vermeer and a Gainsborough.[5] The stolen paintings were notionally valued at more than IR£8 million.[6] In the process, the Beits, though elderly, were pistol-whipped, tied up and pushed down a flight of stone stairs. The IRA intended to hold the paintings to ransom in exchange for the transfer of Dolours Price and Marian Price, IRA members who had been convicted of car-bombings in England. All the stolen paintings were recovered in County Cork a few weeks later.[7]

In 1986, the house was robbed again, this time by the Dublin criminal Martin Cahill (known in the tabloid media as "The General"). Cahill and his gang stole 18 paintings notionally valued at IR£30 million, all but two of which were recovered in police operations in Britain, Belgium and Turkey.[6][7]

In 2001, two more paintings (a Bellotto and a Gainsborough) were stolen in another robbery. Both were recovered in 2002.[7] In 2002, another robbery took five paintings, including two Rubens.[7]

A sad but necessary outcome of the thefts was that the Irish state had to move the unique collection to Dublin, making Russborough less attractive to tourists.