The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-07-31


rs a precious relic for generations. III
the beginning of the last century Father
Prendergast, the parish priest of Cong,
found it and after a time it was trans
ferred to the museum of the Royal
Irish Academy, whence it found it's way
| to the Metropolitan museum of XII
dare street, which is it's present loca-
| ton. ,e.&
| The cross itself is composed of two
pieces Of oak, covered with plates os
copper, and is two feet six inches long,
by one foot seven inches across the
arms. The. copper plates are in turn
divided into panels With silver borders,
and each of the panels is ornamented
with the most delicate work in gold,
silver. bronze, brass. lead, glass anl
enamel. At the center of the arms is
a large crystal. which Is supposed to
have covered the relic, and immediate
ly surrounding the crystal are eight
irregular panels, decorated in the most
delicate work of all. entirely in gold.
The back of the cross Is considered by
some to be the most effective orna-
mentation of the entire piece. beau
tiful reproduction, in fact fac smile,
of this cross. was one of the principal
pieces exhibited at the worlds fair III
Chicago, and is now located near the
principal entrance to the Field mu-
scum. Another reproduction has been
procured within the past few months
for the Art Museum in New York, ana
it is to be hoped that before many
years. other great museums in the
United States will be able to boast OF
. similar copy. y.~,-e
The cl,alice Of Ardagh was discov-
cred in 1869 by little boy who WAS
digging potatoes in the side Of the
old rath at Ardagl1, county of LINER
ick. Nothing is known for certain Of
it's history. and The only Inscription
on it is the names OF the twelve apos-
ties in bold Roman capitals. There is.
however. q story told in the Irish an
nails that Would seem TO At in with the
chalice. During one of the Danish in
vasions Of Ireland a. body of the for
eigners came UP ION " aad q
plundered the famous ( monastery .:
Clonmacnoise CARRYING with them C.
chalice, which was then considered
one of the most precious pieces in
Ireland. A number Of the chieftains
gathered their forces and pursued the
Danes down the river as far as Linz
erick. At Limerick the intruders left
their boats and ran across the country
and were overtaken by the. Irish, but
meantime the chalice had disappeared
and was not afterwards found. Clan
macnoisc itself is located on the left
bank Of the Shannon, opposite county
Roscommon, a few. miles below Ath.
lone.
The brooch of Tara was discovered
in 1850 near Bcttystown. county OF
Louth. The night before it's discovery
it had been stormng~ and the waves
of the sea had washed away the base
of the bluff causing some Of the soil
to fall from the top. A few children,
playing upon the strand, in climbing
over the debris, discovered the brooch.
Nothing is known of its history. it
hoe M oo,,ootiop witt, Taro and no.
ceived it's name only as tribute "a
it's workmanship. 1t looks so mucn
like the chalice that many have con-
sidered it the work Of the same hand
Although less than three inches in d.
ameter, it is decorated with 70 diff
ferent kinds OF designs, and yet the
to the highest degree. The Irish artist
did not spare any labor on his be-
loved work. The back as well as the
front Of the brooch was decorated with
equal delicacy, although in entirely
different character. The brooch is the
masterpiece Of the metal work of Ire
phael's Madonna is in painting. and
Z Venus of Milo in sculpture, that is the
!. Tara brooch in decorated metal work
. The brooch and chalice themselves
. are the most precious relics in the
Dublin museum and copies of them
can be seen beside the cross of Coae
!: in the museums in New York and Chi
) cago.
know of nothing that could so cas-
, lily be done that would do so much tc
remove the clouds of ignorance and
; prejudice that unfortunately still OBJ
! scure the brilliant ages of Irish his
, tory before the Saxon invasion than
| the placing Of copies of these and Other
, Irish works of like character in tho
museums of America.