[caption id="attachment_1509" align="aligncenter" width="578" caption="Ardagh Chalice"][/caption] Above: The Ardagh Chalice The Tara Brooch, rightly referred to as a masterpiece of the jeweller's art, was found on the strand at Bettystown near Drogheda in 1850. " The body of the brooch is of bronze, and is decorated with panels in fine gold filigree work, enamel, and settings of amber and glass. The ornament includes spirals, interlaced work, human heads and animal forms On the front the ornament is confined mostly to interlaced work ; the trumpet ... Read More

[caption id="attachment_1517" align="aligncenter" width="290" caption="Dimma\'s Book"][/caption] Above: Shrine of Dimma's Book Soiseeal Molaise, in the shape of a small oblong box, or cumhdack, was made for a copy of the Gospels believed to have belonged to Molaise who founded the monastery in Devenish in the sixth century. It is inscribed with a prayer for the successor of Molaise and for its artificer. Smaller than the Loch Eirne shrine, it seems to have been made in the first quarter of the eleventh century. Gold, silver, copper, ... Read More