Repatriation Of Derrynaflan Hoard To Thurles Tipperary

Efforts to organise the repatriation of the Derrynaflan Hoard back to its native home in Thurles Co. Tipperary were highlighted in yesterdays morning’s edition of the Independent newspaper & today’s Irish Examiner (page 4)

The leading Irish newspapers stated that an organisation in Tipperary, called Hidden Tipperary, is calling for the permanent relocation of the Derrynaflan Hoard, now housed at the National Museum of Ireland, to be returned back to its county of origin.

Derrynaflan Hoard

The treasure trove known as the Derrynaflan Hoard consists of one highly decorated ninth century silver chalice, a large eighth century paten and stand, an eighth century liturgical strainer, and an eighth to ninth century bronze basin. A stone slab, found on the site and now also in the National Museum, and much associated with the original location of this treasure & inscribed “Or doan main Dubscull,” (Translated; A prayer for the soul of Dubscuile,) is also being sought.

Abbot Dubscuile mac Cinaeda, mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, is understood to have died around 962 AD & was the son of Cinaedh, and one of the eventual successors of St. Colum Cille (521 AD – 597AD).

St. Columcille or St. Columba was an Irish Abbot and missionary credited with spreading Christianity in present-day Scotland. He founded an important abbey on the island of Iona, which became a dominant religious and political institution in this region for centuries. He was highly regarded by both the Gaels of Dál Riata and the Picts of Scotland, and is remembered today as a Christian saint and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.

Derrynaflan Island

The monastery at Derrynaflan was originally founded by St. Rhuadhan of Lorrha in the sixth century. Derrynaflan was an important monastery in the then eighth and ninth centuries and came under the patronage of the King-Bishops of Cashel. After the death of Feidlimid mac Crimthainn the King-Bishop of Cashel in 847, this monastery fell into decline & nothing of this early monastery’s structure now remains, except some very faint outlines of the original enclosure and the ruined walls of a slightly later church.

Suitable exhibition space has been identified in The Source complex beside the river Suir, and new high definition CCTV currently being installed in the town centre is expected to be incorporated into any required security deemed necessary by the National Museum, should an agreement to repatriate be reached.

Employment

Any repatriation of the Derrynaflan Hoard is expected to create at least 300 full-time & part-time jobs in the region, particularly in the tourism associated sectors, like Restaurants, Hotels, Theatres, as Guides etc, not to mention local associated SME’s.  The estimated costs of €100,000 required to transport the Derrynaflan Hoard could be recouped within the first year, if a minimum of only €1 was implemented as a charge, during this initial start-up period.

Hidden Tipperary

“Hidden Tipperary,” are a new voluntary tourism promotion group, membership of which insists that all belonging to the organisation must be fully skilled professionals, prepared to volunteer their respective talents at no charge and to the benefit of all persons residing in County Tipperary.
Their committed membership include; local fully qualified I.T. professionals, qualified video camera operators, professional video editors, dedicated historians, award winning short story & script writers.

Tipperary Tourism Offices

Hidden Tipperary today also report that Tourism Offices, marked for closure in both Nenagh ( Bamba Square ) & Cahir ( Castle Car Park ), may re-open in the coming weeks, despite Failte Ireland recommendations. Over 40 per cent of tourism information offices across Ireland have now been dumped on local interest groups and businesses with little financial support from Failte Ireland, who charge for all materials supplied, despite in many cases free space being provided at the expense of the former.

Hidden Tipperary now invite all various tourism sectors in Tipperary, to ensure that all brochure & advertising materials are sent to these offices if & when the future of same are announced.