Shrine of Miosach

Shrine of Miosach
The frontpiece, added in 1532 AD
Material	Yew-wood, bronze, silver, enamel
Size	height 26.6cm, width 23.2cm, depth 6.3cm.[1]
Created	late 11th and early 16th centuries
Discovered	Clonmany, County Donegal, Ireland
Present location	National Museum of Ireland, Dublin

The Shrine of Miosach (also known as The Misach, Irish: Míosach^[2]) is an elaborately ornamented 11th-century Irish cumdach (book shrine). It originates from Clonmany, north County Donegal, and is first mentioned in the 1165 Irish annals. It is dated to the late 11th century, when it probably contained a manuscript with psalms or extracts from a Gospel. However, the shrine was empty when first described in detail in the 18th century. It was originally associated with St Cairneach, patron saint of Dulane, County Meath,^[3] but by the late medieval period had become part of the cult of the abbot and missionary Colm Cille (521-59 AD).^[4]

The shrine was heavily re-worked and added to in the 16th century; in 1534 the goldsmith Brian O'Morrison added a front cover and side-plates adorned with semi-precious stones, and reliefs including the crucified Christ, depictions of the crowned Virgin and Child, and the three patron saints of Ireland: St. Bridget, St. Patrick and Colm Cille.^[1] O'Morrison fixed his additions to the wooden core with nails.

As with the cumdach holding the Cathach of St. Columba, in the Middle Ages it was carried into battle like a standard.^[5] It is held by the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin, in its archaeology building on Kildare Street.