'Remarkable' medieval relic discovered during Adare bypass works to go on display

A “REMARKABLE” medieval relic discovered during Adare bypass works is to go on display for public viewing.

An early medieval brooch-pin, thought to be over 1,000 years old, was discovered by archaeologists working on an excavation site near the N21 Adare bypass at Ardshanbally in 2024.

The pin, which is made of cast bronze, is 12cm in length and features blue glass settings and cast animal and abstract ornaments. It is due to go on display this May.

Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD visited the National Museum of Ireland this Thursday to view a number of treasures discovered in Co Limerick.

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Speaking of the most recent discovery of the brooch-pin while on his visit to the museum on Kildare St in Dublin, Minister O’Donovan 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 the 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.”

Amongst other items viewed by Minister O’Donovan was a sixth or seventh century hand-pin, which was found by a farmer in Crean, Co Limerick in 2016, close to Newcastle West.

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 interconnected 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 also 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.

Lynn Scarff, director of the National Museum of Ireland, said: “We are grateful to Limerick City and County Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and their archaeologists at 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.”