The discovery of a remarkable and rare art treasure in our area, as described in this article, demonstrates a high quality of design and manufacturing capability in our neighbourhood.

On the banks of the Erne at Rivory across the river from the townland of Urney, was found an early ninth century Celtic style brooch now called “The Cavan Brooch”. It is 71/2” in length and 41/2” in breath, made in silver, with elaborate interlaced ornamentation. Now on display in the National Museum, it also became known as the Queen’s brooch, as a result of Queen Victoria admiring it she had a replica of it made. According to Karin Milten, Hatfield College, University of Durham in 1991. “The ‘Cavan’ or ‘Queens’ brooch is one of developed Irish annular style and is dated with some fluidity to the end o the eight century. It bears delicately modeled animal heads separating cusps found on each pseudoterminal, and the background of the terminals is decorated with animal motifs: each beast has a hatched or a billeted ribbon shaped body, a backturned head and long snout grasping its own trunk. These creatures seem to be the forerunners of the Irish animal style of the ninth century. The reverse although it is generally plain has some simple beast heads with prominent fangs and a long tongue, reminiscent of the creatures of the Londesborough brooch”.