Adare bypass discovery shown to Minister O’Donovan as he visits National Museum of Ireland
Early Medieval Brooch-Pin recently discovered by archaeologists working on Adare Bypass.
April 3, 2025: Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD visited the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street this morning and viewed a number of treasures recently discovered in Co Limerick.
Amongst the items viewed by Minister O’Donovan was an 8th/ 9th century brooch-pin discovered at Ardshanbally, Co Limerick in 2024. The brooch-pin, which is made of cast bronze, is just 12cm in length and features blue glass settings and cast animal and abstract ornament.
The Early Medieval brooch-pin was discovered by archaeologists working for Archaeological Management Solutions who are providing archaeological services for the pre-development excavation of a site near Adare, Co. Limerick on behalf of Limerick City and County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
The Early Medieval brooch-pin is one of over 100 objects that will go on display at the National Museum, Kildare Street as part of a unique exhibition exploring the extraordinary journeys of people, books and ideas between medieval Ireland and Europe. Words on the Wave: Ireland and St. Gallen in Early Medieval Europe will be officially opened on May 30th and will feature precious manuscripts from the Abbey of St. Gall, Switzerland, some returning to Ireland for the first time in 1,000 years.
Minister O’Donovan was also shown a 6th / 7th century hand-pin, which was found by a farmer in Crean, Co Limerick in 2016, close to the Minister’s hometown of Newcastle West, and subsequently conserved at the National Museum of Ireland. Measuring just 20cm in length, this 1,400-year-old object would have been used as a dress fastener. It is intricately decorated with three inter-connected spirals which are surrounded by a bed of red enamel. This type of ornate dress-fastener is an important type of object which probably originated in Scotland but became popular in Ireland in the sixth and seventh centuries AD. It is about 100 years older than the Ardagh Chalice, which was discovered close to Crean, in the 19th century.
Collectively, the brooch-pin, Ardagh Chalice and hand-pin are illustrative of the richness of the Limerick area in the Early Medieval period.
Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD said;
“This brooch really is a remarkable find, beautifully detailed and dating from well over 1,000 years ago. It shows what significant skill, talent and wealth there was even in Early Medieval period in and around County Limerick. The National Museum is such an important institution for Ireland, housing artefacts of this nature and providing invaluable insights into early Irish culture.”
Welcoming the Minister to the National Museum, Kildare Street, Chair of the National Museum of Ireland Professor Cathal O Donoghue said;
“We are delighted to welcome Minister O’Donovan to the National Museum, Kildare Street today, and to give him both an exclusive first look at some exciting recent archaeological discoveries, as well as a briefing on the significant and unique exhibition opening here in May."
Lynn Scarff, Director of the National Museum of Ireland added,
“We are grateful to Limerick City and County Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and their archaeologists AMS Ltd, with whom we have worked closely to ensure that ancient objects such as this are rightfully conserved and preserved for future generations. The forthcoming exhibition of the Ardshanbally Early Medieval brooch-pin is a perfect example of state agencies and commercial archaeologists working together to preserve and make accessible our wonderful portable heritage. The discovery of the brooch in a controlled excavation such as this, provides a good basis for us to nail down exact dates when fine metalworking was happening in Ireland and more specifically in the Limerick area.”
ENDS
- Media Contact: Sinéad McGovern, Q4 Public Relations, 087 6411725 // sinead@q4pr.ie
- Images: Photography will be released by Julien Behal Photography julienbehalphotography@gmail.com