Penal Cross
Additional Information
Penal Cross
Carved fruitwood with figure of Christ, on short armed cross inscribed with INRI chalice, arrow, ladder, cockerel and cooking pot on front and IHS and 1784 on reverse.
Penal crosses represented devotional artefacts. Their name derives from the fact that they were somewhat contemporaneous with the Penal Laws. The Penal Laws created a wave of economic, social and religious hardship across Ireland. The penal cross signified a tangible, portable relic of worship for Catholics whose religion was under great threat. In his study, A.T. Lucas suggests a range of dates from the eighteenth to early nineteenth century for penal crosses.
It is thought that they have a strong association with the pilgrimage site at Lough Derg, County Donegal where they were made and sold to pilgrims visiting the site and subsequently kept as relics.
Lucas states that: “The manufacture of crucifixes of an undoubted “penal” type in the locality for sale to the pilgrims of the mid-nineteenth century, suggests the possibility that the whole genus of these objects may be associated with the Lough Derg pilgrimage” (Lucas, 1954, p. 168).
Penal crosses were made of a single piece of wood and of simple cruciform shape with short arms and a figure of Christ carved in high relief at the centre. The arms were short to enable the cross to be hidden up the sleeve so as to avoid capture.
This Penal Cross was originally owned by a Ryan family who lived in the Barna area And is now part of the Deane collection…
Flint lock pistol
Flintlock pistol with flint intact.
This old pistol dating from the early 1800s was found in Royce’s mill, Emmil, Cloughjordan Many years ago. In the attic of the old mill house there was what is known as “a priest’s hole” where a priest could be hidden during Penal times. The gun was fired and we can only hope that the priest was save, it is now part of the Deane collection.
Ballán
Shinrone Heritage Group Community
Ballán
Amongst the several meanings of ballán are 'stone with a cup-shaped hole', and by extension, 'well'. These ‘bullaun’ stones are found alongside holy wells, but they sometimes form part of the well itself: they were often known as either cursing or curing stones, and tales tell of wise women of Ireland who could heal ailments and injuries using the water from these bulláns, or could instead put a curse on someone by “turning the stone”.
Local folklore often attaches religious or magical significance to bullaun stones, such as the belief that the rainwater collecting in a stone's hollow has healing properties. Ritual use of some bullaun stones continued well into the Christian period and many are found in association with early churches, such as the 'Deer' Stone at Glendalough, County Wicklow. The example at St Brigit's Stone, County Cavan, still has its 'cure' or 'curse' stones. These would be used by turning them whilst praying for or cursing somebody. In May 2012 the second cursing stone to be found in Scotland was discovered on Cannaand drawn soon after by archaeological illustrator Thomas Small. It has been dated to c. 800.
The Ballán pictured once formed part of the back wall of my Grandfather’s stable at Clifton, Ballingarry, Roscrea. It is now part of the Deane collection and is on permanent loan to the people of Roscrea. It is featured in the Famine Garden at Scart, Templemore Rd. Roscrea.
Viking Spear head
Spear
An atgeir, sometimes called a "mail-piercer" or "hewing-spear", was a type of polearm in use in Viking Age Scandinavia and Norse colonies in the British Isles and Ireland. The word is related to the Old Norse geirr, meaning spear.
The first recorded Viking raids on Ireland took place in 795 AD, when islands off the north and west coasts were plundered. Later on, Viking fleets appeared on the major river ie. Shannon systems and fortified bases for more extensive raiding are from about 840AD. Deane collection.
Ancient Axe Head
Ancient Fighting Axe Head of the Varangian guard, probably used by Viking Warriors on hunting raids in Ireland. Deane collection.
Musket Balls
Musket Balles, projectiles fired from old flintlock pistols or rifles. Probably dating from the 1700s
Deane collection.