Cavan County Museum brings home ‘The Virginia Brooch’ as part of Virginia 400 Celebrations
Cavan County Museum is delighted to announce that the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin has approved the return of the Virginia Brooch, a National Treasure on loan to Cavan from the 5th to the 8th May 2012.
In the early nineteenth century, a silver brooch was discovered in Lough Ramor. Known as the ‘Virginia Brooch’, it dates from the ninth/tenth century, making it over 1000 years old. It is a silver bossed Irish Pennanular brooch, with intricate Scandanavian design. After the brooch was found near Lough Ramor in the vicinity of Woodward’s Island, it was sent to Dublin, where it has become part of the National Museum’s collection. This brooch will be returning to Cavan for the first time in almost 200 years. Cavan County Museum will display it over the May Bank Holiday weekend to mark the 400th anniversary of the foundation of Virginia. This is a very important National Treasure and an important part of Cavan’s history and we encourage people from all parts of County Cavan to visit the museum and take in this beautiful part of our shared history and heritage: the Virginia Brooch.
The Virginia Brooch will be on display at Cavan County Museum
Friday 4th and Saturday 5th May – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday 6th May from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Bank Holiday Monday 7th from May 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
To coincide with this event the Museum will host a lecture on ‘ The Wisdom and Wit of the Cavan People! - Local Folklore' with guest speaker Dr. Seamus Mac Gabhann on Friday 4th May at 8 p.m. Everyone welcome.
This loan is funded by The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under their
Mobility of Collections Scheme 2012