One of the country's most famous religious artefacts returned to
Dublin this week after spending over a year in a County Mayo Museum.
The famous Cross of Cong has been on view in the Museum of Country
Life in the village of Turlough in County Mayo for the past 14 months.
The Cross was made in 1123 AD to encase the fragment of the True Cross
that was brought to Ireland and displayed in different places throughout
the country.
The medieval Annals record that Turlough O'Connor, King of Connaught
and High King of Ireland asked for part of the True Cross to be kept in
Ireland.
It is believed that on his instructions, a Shrine, namely the
Cross of Cong, was made in Roscommon to house the fragment, long since
lost.
Since the 1880's the Cross of Cong has been housed at the National
Museum of Ireland in Dublin however, since March 2010, it has been on
view at the County Mayo museum.
Museum keeper Tony Candon said, “Having it here was a wonderful
success. Right up to the very last minute of display people were
running in to get a glimpse of it before it left for Dublin.”
He added, “Having the Cross of Cong back in County Mayo gave a great
lift to the museum and to the people of Mayo and Connaught.”
People who failed to see it during its visit back to County Mayo will
be able to see it when it put back on display in the National Museum of
Ireland shortly.