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Mountrivers, Co. Cork - A variety of
objects including an amber necklace. |
Hoards Finds
from the South of Ireland can be seen in the National Museum of Ireland,
Dublin. Finds from the North of Ireland can be seen at the Ulster
Museum, Belfast. |
Shield
found at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick one of the few finds of Bronze shields known in
Ireland. |
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Most of our knowledge of the artefacts from the Bronze and
Iron Ages come from the discovery of hoards of objects either hidden from
marauders or deposited in boggy waterlogged areas as offerings to the
gods.
These objects were preserved in the bogs, including wooden and
leather objects which in dry conditions eventually biodegrade into the
earth. There were many 'finds' of these artefacts in the preceding centuries many by accident, such as that at 'the great Clare find' of 1854 made
when the West Clare narrow gauge railway was being constructed.
Unfortunately many of the known 146 gold objects found
close to Mooghaun North hillfort were stolen by the railway workers and other
persons and melted down. The National Museum in Dublin had casts made of
these ornaments which are on display in their main 'gold gallery'
There are some superb examples of gold work such as the
lock-rings found in a hoard at Gorteenreagh, Co. Clare, which shows that
expertise in gold-work was much admired.
The hoards listed below span from
Mesolithic times up to the late Medieval times.
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The Great Clare Find/Mooghaun, Co. Clare |
Gorteenreagh, Co. Clare |
Broighter,Co.Derry |
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Dowris, Co. Offaly |
Derrinboy, Co. Offaly |
Newgrange,Co.Meath |
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Ballytegan, Co. Laois |
Clones, Co. Monaghan |
Glenisheen,Co.Clare |
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| Mountrivers,
Co. Cork |
Lisnacroghera, Co. Antrim |
Bootown,Co.Antrim |
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Loughnashade, Co. Armagh |
Derrynaflan, Co. Tipperary |
Capeen, Co. Cork |
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Tooradoo, Co. Limerick |
Ardagh, Co. Limerick |
LoughGur,Co.Limerick |
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Ardcrony, Co. Tipperary |
Banemore, Co. Kerry |
Tara,Co.Meath |
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Ballinrees, Co. Derry |
Downpatrick, Co. Down |
MountSandel,Co.Derry |
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Knocknagur, Co. Galway |
Monastery, Co. Wicklow |
Carrickshedoge,Co.Wexford |
Sources: Irish
Archaeology Illustrated edited by Michael Ryan pub. Dublin 1994
Harbison, Peter - Pre-christian Ireland,
from the first settlers to the Early Celts, pub. Thames&Hudson 1998.
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