Unlike Britain and the Continent, Ireland’s geographic remoteness prevented colonization by Rome. Thus, despite regular trade with Roman Britain, the country became a haven for the uninterrupted development of Celtic art and crafts, which were neither displaced by Greco-Roman art, nor destroyed in the ensuing “Dark Ages” (c.400-800) when Roman power in Europe was replaced by barbarian anarchy.
This led to an unbroken tradition of Celtic culture which retained its own oral, historical and mythological traditions, as exemplified in the Lebor Gabala Erenn (Book of Invasions).
It was this Celtic culture with its tradition of metallurgical craftsmanship and carving skills, (see Celtic Weapons art) that was responsible for the second great achievement of Irish art: a series of exceptional items of precious metalwork made for secular and Christian customers, (see also Celtic Christian art) as well as a series of intricately engraved monumental stoneworks.
Celtic metalwork art produced in Ireland is first exemplified by items like the Petrie Crown (c.100 BCE – 200 CE), and the Broighter Gold Collar (1st century BCE), and by the later Tara Brooch (c.700 CE). (See also Celtic Jewellery art.) Similar designs can also be seen in several masterpieces of early Christian art (c.500-900 CE) such as the Derrynaflan Chalice (c.650-1000), the gilt-bronze Crucifixion Plaque of Athlone (8th century CE) the Moylough Belt Shrine (8th century CE), the Ardagh Chalice (8th/9th century CE), as well as processional crosses like the Tully Lough Cross (8th/9th century CE), and the Cross of Cong (c.1125 CE) made for King Turlough O’Connor.
Many of these treasures can be viewed in the National Museum of Ireland. • Celtic stonework is best exemplified by the granite Turoe Stone monumental pagan sculpture (c.150-250 BCE), discovered in County Galway. See also Celtic Sculpture.
I Got Stories by Miss Irish 