Search Results: Ancient Ireland

Ireland is an island country located in the North Atlantic, bounded by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St. George's Channel. It is known as Eire in the Gaelic language, which comes from the old Irish Eriu, the name of a daughter of...

The Ardagh Chalice, one of the finest examples of Irish metalwork from the Middle Ages, was found in 1868 CE as part of a hoard at an Irish ringfort in Reerasta, near Ardagh, Co. Limerick. While the chalice is the only ecclesiastical artefact...

The Lebor Gabála Érenn or The Book of the Taking of Ireland, is a pseudo-historical collection of poetry and prose narrative which was first compiled in the 11th Century CE. The Lebor Gabála centers around an origin myth...

The Derrynaflan Hoard is a collection of Irish altar vessels dating between the 8th and 9th centuries CE. Discovered on the island of Derrynaflan, in the townland of Lurgoe, Co. Tipperary in 1980 CE, the pieces are now on display at the National...

Flann Sinna (r. 879-916 CE) was a High King of Ireland from the Kingdom of Mide (Meath) and a member of the Clann Cholmain, a branch of the Southern Ui Neill dynasty. His name is pronounced “Flahn Shinna” and means “Flann...

In early Medieval Europe, a prime subject of frightening tales-come-true were the famously marauding and pillaging Vikings, spilling out of their dragon-headed longships in a state of bloodlust, thirsting for gold. With their menacing presence...

Bardr mac Imair (c. 873-881 CE, also known as Barid mac Imair, Barith, Baraid) was a Viking king of Dublin, son of the Viking king Imair (Imar, Ivan) who founded the Ui Imair Dynasty in Ireland. Bardr became king in Dublin after Imair's death...

Perhaps the most mysterious of all gold ornaments of the Later Bronze Age are the hollow gold balls found at Tumna, Co. Roscommon in Ireland in 1843 CE. Eleven balls are said to have been found when a group of men were tilling land near Tumna...

The Book of Kells (c. 800) is an illuminated manuscript of the four gospels of the Christian New Testament, currently housed at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. The work is the most famous of the medieval illuminated manuscripts for the...

This gold dress fastener dates back to the Late Bronze Age and was found in Clones, Co. Monaghan, Ireland. Circa 800-700 BCE. (National Museum of Ireland-Archaeology, Dublin, Republic of Ireland)