DOI issue:
Nr. 340 (September 1925)
DOI article:Buckley, Eileen: Old Irish book shrines
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19985#0464
mueRnAcioriAL
large, oval crystal, flecked with
rosy lights, an encircling rosette
of beaded filigree being set with
metal bosses anci studs of red
and blue glass, the design being
repeated at top and bottom of
the cross. The decoration of
other surfaces includes interlac-
ing patterns and pierced de-
signs, in addition to gilt panels
in relief, one depicting a soldier
with long spear, another show-
ing a human form combined
with conventionalized quadru-
peds, still another representing
a man standing between two
curious grotesques, their gaping
jaws posed to devour him.
The glamor of romance tinges
the history of the Shrine for the
domnach airgid or shrine of st. patrick's gospel Book of DilTima The mailU-
script, bound in oak boards pre-
black enameled Agnes Dei and a scroll inscribed cisely like the books carried by early Egyptian
in Lombardic characters, occupies an adjoining missionaries, remained at Roscrea until the sup-
panel, the tragic death of the prophet being shown pression of religious institutions by Henry VIII.
in the remaining compartment, where Salome Having disappeared for perhaps two hundred and
appears with his head on a salver. Further deco- fifty years, the relic was found in the late eight-
ration occurs on the simply engraved back, where eenth century secreted among the rocks of Devil's
a silver gilt cross is inscribed with the names of Bit Mountain. Though well preserved at the
the Magi in black letter. time, it was stripped of some of the decorations
The silver cumdach of the Stowe Missal is by the boys who discovered it, but they halted in
representative of a vast number of Irish treasures fear at sight of the crucifix on the front. Like
imported in early centuries into almost every most of the other treasures, this cumdach repre-
section of Western Europe, influencing in notable
degree the ideals which finally blossomed into shrine of the stowe missal
the enchanting Continental art of later ages.
Toward the close of the eighteenth century an
Irishman, serving as an Austrian officer, dis-
covered the shrine at the Gaelic monastery of
Ratisbon, Bavaria, and brought the relic back
to Ireland, where many years later it entered
the national collection. An important clue to
the origin and history of the cumdach is fur-
nished by the Gaelic inscriptions on the front.
After asking "A blessing of God on every soul
according to its merit," the engraved prayers
enter petitions for Donnchadh and Tadhg, sons
of Brian Boru, also for MacLaith O'Donoghoe,
Prince of Munster, and for Dunchad O'Tagnain,
the artist. Regarding the craftsman history is
silent except to record that he was a silversmith
and monk of Clonmacnois and that he executed
the work between the years 1023 and 1052 for
the Monastery of Lorrha, County Tipperary.
The cross figures as a decorative device for the
front of the reliquary. At the center glows a
Jour sixty-Jour
september i i) 2 j
large, oval crystal, flecked with
rosy lights, an encircling rosette
of beaded filigree being set with
metal bosses anci studs of red
and blue glass, the design being
repeated at top and bottom of
the cross. The decoration of
other surfaces includes interlac-
ing patterns and pierced de-
signs, in addition to gilt panels
in relief, one depicting a soldier
with long spear, another show-
ing a human form combined
with conventionalized quadru-
peds, still another representing
a man standing between two
curious grotesques, their gaping
jaws posed to devour him.
The glamor of romance tinges
the history of the Shrine for the
domnach airgid or shrine of st. patrick's gospel Book of DilTima The mailU-
script, bound in oak boards pre-
black enameled Agnes Dei and a scroll inscribed cisely like the books carried by early Egyptian
in Lombardic characters, occupies an adjoining missionaries, remained at Roscrea until the sup-
panel, the tragic death of the prophet being shown pression of religious institutions by Henry VIII.
in the remaining compartment, where Salome Having disappeared for perhaps two hundred and
appears with his head on a salver. Further deco- fifty years, the relic was found in the late eight-
ration occurs on the simply engraved back, where eenth century secreted among the rocks of Devil's
a silver gilt cross is inscribed with the names of Bit Mountain. Though well preserved at the
the Magi in black letter. time, it was stripped of some of the decorations
The silver cumdach of the Stowe Missal is by the boys who discovered it, but they halted in
representative of a vast number of Irish treasures fear at sight of the crucifix on the front. Like
imported in early centuries into almost every most of the other treasures, this cumdach repre-
section of Western Europe, influencing in notable
degree the ideals which finally blossomed into shrine of the stowe missal
the enchanting Continental art of later ages.
Toward the close of the eighteenth century an
Irishman, serving as an Austrian officer, dis-
covered the shrine at the Gaelic monastery of
Ratisbon, Bavaria, and brought the relic back
to Ireland, where many years later it entered
the national collection. An important clue to
the origin and history of the cumdach is fur-
nished by the Gaelic inscriptions on the front.
After asking "A blessing of God on every soul
according to its merit," the engraved prayers
enter petitions for Donnchadh and Tadhg, sons
of Brian Boru, also for MacLaith O'Donoghoe,
Prince of Munster, and for Dunchad O'Tagnain,
the artist. Regarding the craftsman history is
silent except to record that he was a silversmith
and monk of Clonmacnois and that he executed
the work between the years 1023 and 1052 for
the Monastery of Lorrha, County Tipperary.
The cross figures as a decorative device for the
front of the reliquary. At the center glows a
Jour sixty-Jour
september i i) 2 j