Griffin Murray | University College Cork (original) (raw)

Books by Griffin Murray

This is the first detailed study of the Cross of Cong, one of Ireland’s great national treasures.... more This is the first detailed study of the Cross of Cong, one of Ireland’s great national treasures. Made to enshrine a relic of Christ’s Cross in the early twelfth century under the patronage of the high king Turlough O’Connor, it was one of the most important reliquaries in medieval Ireland. This book explores the political, religious, cultural and artistic background to its creation, arguing that its production was motivated as much by politics, both secular and ecclesiastical, as it was by religious devotion.

In a unique exploration, Griffin Murray also examines the modern history of the Cross from the seventeenth century to today, describing its important position in the history of Irish national collections and its impact on the Gaelic Revival. With surprising and noteworthy revelations on the hidden secrets of recent x-ray examinations and new research on the origins of the Cross, this book is an indispensable study of this national treasure.

Chapter 1 – Rediscovery, Acquisition, and Study: From Country Cottage to Cultural Icon
Chapter 2 – Turlough O’Connor, Tuam and the True Cross
Chapter 3 – Description and Analysis
Chapter 4 – Making the Cross: The Master-Craftsman and his Techniques
Chapter 5 – Tradition and Influence: The Style of the Cross of Cong
Chapter 6 – The Meaning of the Cross of Cong
Chapter 7 – The Significance of the Cross of Cong: Identity, Workshops, and Relics
Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Objects Produced by the Cross of Cong Workshop
Appendix 1 – XRF analysis of the central plate of the Cross of Cong ~ Paul Mullarkey
Appendix 2 –Remedial conservation work on the Cross of Cong ~ Paul Mullarkey

Edited Books by Griffin Murray

Papers (Peer Reviewed) by Griffin Murray

Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy Vol. 121C, 2021

The Clonmacnoise crosier, one of finest examples of early medieval metalwork from Ireland, is d... more The Clonmacnoise crosier, one of finest examples of early medieval metalwork from Ireland, is described, and its history and provenance are thoroughly in-vestigated for the first time. It is argued that the workshop that created it and related material was located at Clonmacnoise and that abbot Tigernach Ua Bráein (d.1088) may have been its commissioner. While there is no basis to the story that it was found, along with another crosier, in Temple Ciarán, its iconography nevertheless suggests a link with that building and more generally with Clonmacnoise. A crosier-head with a supposed Clonmacnoise provenance is also discussed, its Clonmacnoise provenance is rejected, and it is proposed that it may have been deliberately broken and repaired in the sixteenth century. An attempt to trace its history has revealed the record of a theft of an Irish crosier-head from the British Museum in the nineteenth century, the fate of which remains unknown

Viking Encounters: Proceedings of the 18th Viking Congress, edited by Anne Pedersen and Søren M. Sindbæk, 2020

PEOPLING INSULAR ART: PRACTICE, PERFORMANCE, PERCEPTION, edited by CYNTHIA THICKPENNY, KATHERINE FORSYTH, JANE GEDDES AND KATE MATHIS , Jul 2020

Peritia: Journal of the Medieval Academy of Ireland, 2019

This note offers an identification, for the first time, of the individual named in inscriptions i... more This note offers an identification, for the first time, of the individual named in inscriptions in Old Norse runes and scholastic ogham on a stone cross fragment at Killaloe, Co. Clare, and discusses the potential political context that led to the erection of the cross at the beginning of the twelfth century.

Medieval Archaeology, 2019

THIS PAPER DESCRIBES and discusses the significance of a number of metalwork and glass finds from... more THIS PAPER DESCRIBES and discusses the significance of a number of metalwork and glass finds from the important early medieval monastery on the island of Iona, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The finds mainly come from previously unpublished excavations, especially those by Charles Thomas from 1956–63. They include unique items such as an 8th-century lion figurine, and a 12th-century human head, both in copper alloy. These finds attest for the first time to the production of complex ecclesiastical metalwork such as reliquaries at Iona, and are some of the few such items to be recovered from excavated contexts. Fragments of early medieval window glass demonstrate that the buildings of the early monastery were more sophisticated than previously believed, and moulds and a reticella rod indicate decorative glass-working. A number of copper-alloy pins, strap-fittings and other decorative pieces of 9th- and 10th-century date show significant Norse-period occupation, and probably continuing metalworking traditions throughout the early medieval period. Taken together, these new finds begin to reveal that Iona was furnished with richly decorated shrines and reliquaries similar in sophistication to the illustrated manuscripts and sculptured monuments known to have been produced in the monastery.

Medieval Archaeology , 2018

THIS PAPER presents and discusses a unique insular reliquary shrine discovered in an early 9th-ce... more THIS PAPER presents and discusses a unique insular reliquary shrine discovered in an early 9th-century woman’s grave at Melhus, central Norway, over a century ago. In addition to a detailed re-evaluation of the shrine and its use in its original ecclesiastical context, the paper also proposes an alternative interpretation as to how the local pagan population may have conceptualised this Christian object after it arrived in Norse hands. While most of the insular ecclesiastical items in Scandinavia were broken up and transformed into personal ornaments, the Melhus shrine was kept complete, suggesting it was considered to be of special value. It is argued here that this status should be seen in association with the shrine’s involvement in local narratives and ritual aspects connected with the earliest voyages across the North Sea. The woman with whom the reliquary was buried may have played a central role in these rituals.

Islands in a Global Context: Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Insular Art (eds) C. Newman, M. Mannion & F. Gavin, 2017

Turner, V.E., Owen, O.A. and Waugh, D.J. (eds), Shetland and the Viking World: Papers from the Proceedings of the Seventeenth Viking Congress Lerwick, Dec 2016

Underground Archaeology: Studies on Human Bones and artefacts from Ireland’s caves (ed., Marion Dowd) , Dec 2016

Amongst the corpus of material recovered in the course of archaeological excavations in caves in ... more Amongst the corpus of material recovered in the course of archaeological excavations in caves in Ireland are two highly decorative pieces of metalwork made of copper alloy which have been interpreted as fragments of portable shrines of early medieval date. One of these was discovered in 1942 in Park North Cave near Midleton in Co. Cork (Coleman 1942, 74–75, pl. I), while the other was found in Kilgreany Cave in the Cappagh valley near Dungarvan in Co. Waterford (Movius 1935, 277–278, fig. 9). The purpose of this study is to reassess the artefacts, to test whether previous interpretations withstand more rigorous analysis, to see if any new interpretations can be advanced, and to explore the possible context of how these objects came to be deposited in caves. The study also includes more detailed descriptions of the objects than has hitherto been given, as well as the results of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis carried out by Dr Paul Mullarkey of the National Museum of Ireland.

This paper presents the first modern detailed account of the Bearnán Chúláin bell-shrine, one of ... more This paper presents the first modern detailed account of the Bearnán Chúláin bell-shrine, one of the most important pieces of medieval Church metalwork to survive from Ireland. Originally from Glenkeen, Co. Tipperary, the shrine may be dated to the period of the late-eleventh/early-twelfth century. The paper principally consists of descriptive and historical analyses of the bell-shrine, as well as contextual discussion around its dating and manufacture. The reliquary is compared to a sword handle from Lough Derg and a recent find from England, all of which are attributed to the same workshop that was conceivably under the royal patronage of Muirchertach Ua Briain.

Acta Archaeologica, Dec 2015

This is the first detailed study of a group of five Insular crosier fragments from Viking-age Sca... more This is the first detailed study of a group of five Insular crosier fragments from Viking-age Scandinavia. The European importance of this material, which includes some of the earliest extant crosiers in Western Europe, the earliest extant volute-headed crosier, and the earliest evidence for crosier use in England, is discussed and it is argued that the Insular and Continental crosier traditions were closer to each other than has previously been recognised. In recent years this material, as well as other fragmented Insular Church metalwork from the Nordic countries, has been used to support the notion of early undocumented Christian missions to Scandinavia. This theory is challenged in this paper, which concludes that it is far more likely that this material arrived in Scandinavia as a result of Viking raids on the church sites of Ireland and Britain.

Before and after the battle of Clontarf The Vikings in Ireland and beyond (eds H.B. Clarke & R. Johnson), 2015

This paper examines the identity of the zoomorphic art style that was used in the decoration of t... more This paper examines the identity of the zoomorphic art style that was used in the decoration of the Cross of Cong and related works of twelfth-century Irish art. Previous scholarship is reviewed, before the components of the style are individually analysed. It is demonstrated that the style is a blending of Irish and Scandinavian art that may be labelled justifiably as 'Hiberno-Urnes'. It was the royal patronage of Toirrdelbach Ua Conchobair (Turlough O'Connor) that saw this style reach prominence in Ireland on so many major pieces of religious art. This paper concludes that the adoption of the style for Ua Conchobair's commissions is linked with his political maneuverings, particularly his relationship with Dublin, as well as his engagement with the Church reform movement. Furthermore, it is argued for the first time that the widespread acceptance of late Viking art in Ireland in the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries is reflective of the political landscape at that time.

Cavan: History and Society (edited by J. Cherry & B. Scott)., Dec 2014

Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society vol. 119, Jun 21, 2014

This paper examines three important Irish ecclesiastical objects that were once in the collection... more This paper examines three important Irish ecclesiastical objects that were once in the collection of Robert Day of Cork. The objects date from the late eleventh and twelfth centuries and include part of a bell-shrine, a figure from a shrine, and a crucifix figure.

Glimpses of Tuam through the centuries: proceedings of a seminar 28th September 2013 (ed. A. Tierney), Apr 2014

Making Histories. Proceedings of the Sixth International Insular Art Conference, pp 162-73, Dec 2013

Envisioning Christ on the Cross: Ireland and the Early Medieval West (eds J. Mullins, J. Ní Ghrádaigh and R. Hawtree) pp 286-317, Oct 2013

This is the first detailed study of the Cross of Cong, one of Ireland’s great national treasures.... more This is the first detailed study of the Cross of Cong, one of Ireland’s great national treasures. Made to enshrine a relic of Christ’s Cross in the early twelfth century under the patronage of the high king Turlough O’Connor, it was one of the most important reliquaries in medieval Ireland. This book explores the political, religious, cultural and artistic background to its creation, arguing that its production was motivated as much by politics, both secular and ecclesiastical, as it was by religious devotion.

In a unique exploration, Griffin Murray also examines the modern history of the Cross from the seventeenth century to today, describing its important position in the history of Irish national collections and its impact on the Gaelic Revival. With surprising and noteworthy revelations on the hidden secrets of recent x-ray examinations and new research on the origins of the Cross, this book is an indispensable study of this national treasure.

Chapter 1 – Rediscovery, Acquisition, and Study: From Country Cottage to Cultural Icon
Chapter 2 – Turlough O’Connor, Tuam and the True Cross
Chapter 3 – Description and Analysis
Chapter 4 – Making the Cross: The Master-Craftsman and his Techniques
Chapter 5 – Tradition and Influence: The Style of the Cross of Cong
Chapter 6 – The Meaning of the Cross of Cong
Chapter 7 – The Significance of the Cross of Cong: Identity, Workshops, and Relics
Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Objects Produced by the Cross of Cong Workshop
Appendix 1 – XRF analysis of the central plate of the Cross of Cong ~ Paul Mullarkey
Appendix 2 –Remedial conservation work on the Cross of Cong ~ Paul Mullarkey

Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy Vol. 121C, 2021

The Clonmacnoise crosier, one of finest examples of early medieval metalwork from Ireland, is d... more The Clonmacnoise crosier, one of finest examples of early medieval metalwork from Ireland, is described, and its history and provenance are thoroughly in-vestigated for the first time. It is argued that the workshop that created it and related material was located at Clonmacnoise and that abbot Tigernach Ua Bráein (d.1088) may have been its commissioner. While there is no basis to the story that it was found, along with another crosier, in Temple Ciarán, its iconography nevertheless suggests a link with that building and more generally with Clonmacnoise. A crosier-head with a supposed Clonmacnoise provenance is also discussed, its Clonmacnoise provenance is rejected, and it is proposed that it may have been deliberately broken and repaired in the sixteenth century. An attempt to trace its history has revealed the record of a theft of an Irish crosier-head from the British Museum in the nineteenth century, the fate of which remains unknown

Viking Encounters: Proceedings of the 18th Viking Congress, edited by Anne Pedersen and Søren M. Sindbæk, 2020

PEOPLING INSULAR ART: PRACTICE, PERFORMANCE, PERCEPTION, edited by CYNTHIA THICKPENNY, KATHERINE FORSYTH, JANE GEDDES AND KATE MATHIS , Jul 2020

Peritia: Journal of the Medieval Academy of Ireland, 2019

This note offers an identification, for the first time, of the individual named in inscriptions i... more This note offers an identification, for the first time, of the individual named in inscriptions in Old Norse runes and scholastic ogham on a stone cross fragment at Killaloe, Co. Clare, and discusses the potential political context that led to the erection of the cross at the beginning of the twelfth century.

Medieval Archaeology, 2019

THIS PAPER DESCRIBES and discusses the significance of a number of metalwork and glass finds from... more THIS PAPER DESCRIBES and discusses the significance of a number of metalwork and glass finds from the important early medieval monastery on the island of Iona, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The finds mainly come from previously unpublished excavations, especially those by Charles Thomas from 1956–63. They include unique items such as an 8th-century lion figurine, and a 12th-century human head, both in copper alloy. These finds attest for the first time to the production of complex ecclesiastical metalwork such as reliquaries at Iona, and are some of the few such items to be recovered from excavated contexts. Fragments of early medieval window glass demonstrate that the buildings of the early monastery were more sophisticated than previously believed, and moulds and a reticella rod indicate decorative glass-working. A number of copper-alloy pins, strap-fittings and other decorative pieces of 9th- and 10th-century date show significant Norse-period occupation, and probably continuing metalworking traditions throughout the early medieval period. Taken together, these new finds begin to reveal that Iona was furnished with richly decorated shrines and reliquaries similar in sophistication to the illustrated manuscripts and sculptured monuments known to have been produced in the monastery.

Medieval Archaeology , 2018

THIS PAPER presents and discusses a unique insular reliquary shrine discovered in an early 9th-ce... more THIS PAPER presents and discusses a unique insular reliquary shrine discovered in an early 9th-century woman’s grave at Melhus, central Norway, over a century ago. In addition to a detailed re-evaluation of the shrine and its use in its original ecclesiastical context, the paper also proposes an alternative interpretation as to how the local pagan population may have conceptualised this Christian object after it arrived in Norse hands. While most of the insular ecclesiastical items in Scandinavia were broken up and transformed into personal ornaments, the Melhus shrine was kept complete, suggesting it was considered to be of special value. It is argued here that this status should be seen in association with the shrine’s involvement in local narratives and ritual aspects connected with the earliest voyages across the North Sea. The woman with whom the reliquary was buried may have played a central role in these rituals.

Islands in a Global Context: Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Insular Art (eds) C. Newman, M. Mannion & F. Gavin, 2017

Turner, V.E., Owen, O.A. and Waugh, D.J. (eds), Shetland and the Viking World: Papers from the Proceedings of the Seventeenth Viking Congress Lerwick, Dec 2016

Underground Archaeology: Studies on Human Bones and artefacts from Ireland’s caves (ed., Marion Dowd) , Dec 2016

Amongst the corpus of material recovered in the course of archaeological excavations in caves in ... more Amongst the corpus of material recovered in the course of archaeological excavations in caves in Ireland are two highly decorative pieces of metalwork made of copper alloy which have been interpreted as fragments of portable shrines of early medieval date. One of these was discovered in 1942 in Park North Cave near Midleton in Co. Cork (Coleman 1942, 74–75, pl. I), while the other was found in Kilgreany Cave in the Cappagh valley near Dungarvan in Co. Waterford (Movius 1935, 277–278, fig. 9). The purpose of this study is to reassess the artefacts, to test whether previous interpretations withstand more rigorous analysis, to see if any new interpretations can be advanced, and to explore the possible context of how these objects came to be deposited in caves. The study also includes more detailed descriptions of the objects than has hitherto been given, as well as the results of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis carried out by Dr Paul Mullarkey of the National Museum of Ireland.

This paper presents the first modern detailed account of the Bearnán Chúláin bell-shrine, one of ... more This paper presents the first modern detailed account of the Bearnán Chúláin bell-shrine, one of the most important pieces of medieval Church metalwork to survive from Ireland. Originally from Glenkeen, Co. Tipperary, the shrine may be dated to the period of the late-eleventh/early-twelfth century. The paper principally consists of descriptive and historical analyses of the bell-shrine, as well as contextual discussion around its dating and manufacture. The reliquary is compared to a sword handle from Lough Derg and a recent find from England, all of which are attributed to the same workshop that was conceivably under the royal patronage of Muirchertach Ua Briain.

Acta Archaeologica, Dec 2015

This is the first detailed study of a group of five Insular crosier fragments from Viking-age Sca... more This is the first detailed study of a group of five Insular crosier fragments from Viking-age Scandinavia. The European importance of this material, which includes some of the earliest extant crosiers in Western Europe, the earliest extant volute-headed crosier, and the earliest evidence for crosier use in England, is discussed and it is argued that the Insular and Continental crosier traditions were closer to each other than has previously been recognised. In recent years this material, as well as other fragmented Insular Church metalwork from the Nordic countries, has been used to support the notion of early undocumented Christian missions to Scandinavia. This theory is challenged in this paper, which concludes that it is far more likely that this material arrived in Scandinavia as a result of Viking raids on the church sites of Ireland and Britain.

Before and after the battle of Clontarf The Vikings in Ireland and beyond (eds H.B. Clarke & R. Johnson), 2015

This paper examines the identity of the zoomorphic art style that was used in the decoration of t... more This paper examines the identity of the zoomorphic art style that was used in the decoration of the Cross of Cong and related works of twelfth-century Irish art. Previous scholarship is reviewed, before the components of the style are individually analysed. It is demonstrated that the style is a blending of Irish and Scandinavian art that may be labelled justifiably as 'Hiberno-Urnes'. It was the royal patronage of Toirrdelbach Ua Conchobair (Turlough O'Connor) that saw this style reach prominence in Ireland on so many major pieces of religious art. This paper concludes that the adoption of the style for Ua Conchobair's commissions is linked with his political maneuverings, particularly his relationship with Dublin, as well as his engagement with the Church reform movement. Furthermore, it is argued for the first time that the widespread acceptance of late Viking art in Ireland in the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries is reflective of the political landscape at that time.

Cavan: History and Society (edited by J. Cherry & B. Scott)., Dec 2014

Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society vol. 119, Jun 21, 2014

This paper examines three important Irish ecclesiastical objects that were once in the collection... more This paper examines three important Irish ecclesiastical objects that were once in the collection of Robert Day of Cork. The objects date from the late eleventh and twelfth centuries and include part of a bell-shrine, a figure from a shrine, and a crucifix figure.

Glimpses of Tuam through the centuries: proceedings of a seminar 28th September 2013 (ed. A. Tierney), Apr 2014

Making Histories. Proceedings of the Sixth International Insular Art Conference, pp 162-73, Dec 2013

Envisioning Christ on the Cross: Ireland and the Early Medieval West (eds J. Mullins, J. Ní Ghrádaigh and R. Hawtree) pp 286-317, Oct 2013

Excavations at Knowth: the medieval phase by G. Eogan, 2012

Breifne XII (47), 420-40, 2012

Journal of Irish Archaeology 19 (2011), 101-112.

"A collection of eight papers to mark the centenary of the death of Robert Day, one of Ireland's ... more "A collection of eight papers to mark the centenary of the death of Robert Day, one of Ireland's most important antiquarian collectors.

CONTENTS
Robert Day: businessman and antiquarian
Margaret Lantry

Robert Day: the formation of his antiquities collection and associated activities
Joan E. Rockley

Treasure Trove, Robert Day and the controversy of the Broighter hoard
Aideen Ireland

Aurum et argentum: Robert Day’s collection of prehistoric gold and silver
Mary Cahill

‘Personal Ornaments in Silver’: Day’s collection of Viking-age silver
John Sheehan

A bell and staff from the Day collection and related medieval metalwork
Cormac Bourke

Irish Church metalwork of the Romanesque Period from the Day collection
Griffin Murray

Robert Day and the world of bookplates
Julian Walton

Note: The Mount Rivers amber, bronze, and gold hoard
"

The Grove Encyclopaedia of Medieval Art and Architecture, ed. C. Hourihane, Nov 9, 2012

Archaeology Ireland, Mar 2017

Archaeology Ireland Spring 2017 (31:1), pp 14-17. This article discusses recent results from a re... more Archaeology Ireland Spring 2017 (31:1), pp 14-17. This article discusses recent results from a reading of a secondary inscription on this early medieval crosier, as well as results from its radiocarbon dating, which lead the authors to argue for a Dublin provenance for it.

The Clongownian 2013, 2013

Archaeology Ireland 26(4), 31-2, Nov 2012

Between a thimble and a nail: Patricia Looby 10 August - 30 September 2012, Triskel Christchurch, Aug 10, 2012

The Kerry Magazine 22, 21-4, 2012

Irish Arts Review, vol. 28:3, p. 142, Sep 2011

The Kerry Magazine 21, 33-4, 2011

Archaeology Ireland 19:1, 18-21., 2006

Archaeology Ireland 17:4, 24-7., Mar 2004

Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 2016

Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, vol 120 (2015), pp. 149-50

Speculum vol. 90:1 (2015), 288-89., Jan 2015

Peritia volume 24-25 (2014), pp 375-380, 2014

Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland vol. 141 (2011), pp 226-229., Oct 2014

Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 118, 142-4, May 2013

Ulster Journal of Archaeology 69, 191-2., 2010

Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries 140, 112-3., 2010

Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries 137,167-69., 2007

Comitatus: A Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Volume 34, 2003, pp. 240-243 (Review) Published by Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, UCLA, 2003

Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 141

Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 140, 2010

Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 139, 2009

Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 138, 2008

Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 137, 2007

Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 136, 2006