One of the greatest and best-preserved treasure finds in Irish history occurred in the little Limerick townland of Reerasta, near Ardagh, in late September 150 years ago. The find is known as the “Ardagh Hoard” and its most famous piece is the magnificent Ardagh Chalice.
Two teenagers, Jimmy Quinn and Paddy Flanagan, found the hoard as they were digging for potatoes in a rath or ring fort in Reerasta. It was covered by only a slab of stone, which would suggest that it was buried hurriedly; no doubt the owner intended to retrieve it not long after burying it. The hoard has been dated to the eighth or perhaps ninth century. This was the Viking period when church treasures were often plundered.
Quinn’s mother sold the hoard to the Catholic Bishop of Limerick, George Butler, for a mere £50. The bishop, in turn, sold it to the Royal Irish Academy for £100 (some have cited a figure of £500). Today the Ardagh Chalice has pride of place in the National Museum of Ireland’s collection.
The Ardagh Hoard consists of the chalice, a plainer stemmed cup in copper-alloy and four penannular (typically Celtic) brooches (similar in design to the well-known Tara Brooch). One of the brooches is more elaborate than the other three.
But the chalice is the outstanding piece of the hoard and has been placed on a par with the Book of Kells as one of the finest examples of what is called “insular” (post-Roman British and Irish) art and indeed of Celtic art in general.
The chalice's beauty 'lies in the contrast between the plain sheen of the polished silver and the finesse and complexity of the ornamentation'
The detailed craftsmanship that went into the making of the chalice is extraordinary. At seven inches in height, 9.5 inches in diameter and with a bowl four inches deep, it could be considered quite small, but some of its other statistics are quite staggering. It consists of 354 different pieces, features six metals (gold, silver, bronze, brass, copper and lead) and hammering, engraving, lost-wax casting, filigree applique, cloisonné and enamelling were some of the techniques used to make it. It was probably the work of several craftsmen.
Two hemispheres of sheet silver joined by a rivet hidden by a gilt-bronze band form the main part of the chalice. Around this bowl runs a girdle featuring inset gold wirework panels of animals, birds, geometric patterns and studs of red enamel and blue glass. Beneath this elaborately decorated girdle, the names of the 11 apostles and St Paul are inscribed in a frieze which also encircles the bowl. The two handle escutcheons are decorated with elaborate glass studs and filigree panels and below these is more incised animal decoration.
Like the bowl, the foot of the chalice is also made of spun silver and its underside is also highly decorated and features a polished rock crystal at its centre. A bronze pin joins the bowl to the beautifully decorated stem and foot of the vessel.
The Ardagh Chalice, the Derrynaflan Chalice and the Tara Brooch are considered as representing the high point of early medieval Irish craftsmanship
The chalice's beauty "lies in the contrast between the plain sheen of the polished silver and the finesse and complexity of the ornamentation: gold filigree of stylised beasts, studs of red enamel and blue glass, and beautifully engraved lettering that spells out the names of the apostles," according to Fintan O'Toole in A History of Ireland in 100 Objects. He cites Raghnall Ó Floinn of the National Museum of Ireland to the effect that the chalice is modelled on late Roman tableware, dating from the early centuries CE but, despite that influence, the squat shape of the two-handled bowl is indigenously Irish and the abstract filigree work is also very different from the more realistic Roman style of representation.
“The Irish love of complexity is everywhere on the chalice”. For example, the central medallion could be regarded as either a crucifix or a marigold. In addition, numbers are significant in the design: the 12 studs and 12 panels of the band at the top echo the 12 apostles.
An Post issued a series of postage stamps between 1990 and 1995 under the title “Irish Heritage and Treasures” and the Ardagh Chalice featured on the £1 stamp. The famous Sam Maguire Cup, which the All-Ireland senior football champions win each year and the O’Duffy Cup, which is won annually by the senior camogie champions, are two GAA trophies modelled on the chalice.
The Ardagh Chalice is regarded as one of the greatest treasures of the early Irish church. It and the Derrynaflan Chalice and the Tara Brooch are considered by the National Museum of Ireland as representing the high point of early medieval Irish craftsmanship.