One of the most important Irish religious artefacts is a bell reputed to have belonged to St. Patrick. Around 1100, a shrine was made for the bell, beautifully decorated to represent the bell’s importance. [3024×4032]

St. Patrick’s Bell was made around 500 (around or shortly after the time St. Patrick is believed to have lived). Similar to other Irish bells of that time, it is made of iron coated with bronze. The bell is well-attested in sources back to the 6th c. as an important relic of Ireland’s patron saint. Multiple other Irish saints and religious figures likewise have relics in the form of bells.

C. 1100, a shrine was made to hold St. Patrick’s Bell. Commissioned by High King of Ireland Domnall Ua Lochlainn from the craftsman Cú Dúilig, the shrine is made of bronze, silver, and gold. It featured 30 gold filigree panels; some have been lost over time, but enough remains to leave an impression of the object’s beauty and the skill needed to make it.

Today, both pieces are on display in Dublin at the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology.