Breac Maodhóg
| Breac Maodhóg | |
|---|---|
Drawing of the front face, Margaret Stokes, 1867 | |
| Material | Gilt copper alloy, enamel |
| Size | height 7 in (180 mm), width 8 in (200 mm), 3 in (76 mm) |
| Created | 11th century |
| Discovered | Drumlane Church, Drumlane |
| Present location | National Museum of Ireland, Dublin |
| Identification | P1021 |
The Breac Maodhóg (English: Speckled Shrine of Saint Maodhóg) is an Irish house-shaped shrine thought to date from the second half of the 11th century. It is made from large plates of bronze on a wooden base, on which are a series of figures in high-relief on bronze plaques.
At a height of 7 in (180 mm) and a width of 8 in (200 mm), the Breac Maodhóg is large compared to other House-shaped shrines. It was likely commissioned to carry a relic of the 6th-century bishop Máedóc of Ferns, and its original leather satchel has survived. It was later kept in a late-medieval leather satchel.
It is in very poor condition, and significant parts of the figurative metalwork are lost. It has been in the collection of the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin since 1890.