This cabinet contains the Clonemore Shrine. It is the earliest example of Christian metalwork in Ireland dating from the seventh century AD and found in a field near Clonmore, County Armagh in 1990.
It is a reliquary for the storage and transportation of a holy relic, that could be the body part, hair, or item associated with a Christian holy person or martyr. It is probable that this was made in a monastery by monks as they were responsible for producing works of high quality such as illuminated texts like the Book of Kells.
The Shrine is made up of nine decorated silver panels, of which only six have been recovered, and forms the shape of a small building that would have looked like a church or tomb of the time.
A similar shrine is held in a monastery Bobbio in Italy which was founded by Irish missionary Columbanus in the early seventh century. Given the similarities between the Bobbio and Clonmore Shrines, it is suggested that both were made in the same place, and possibly, by the same craftsperson.
It is probable that a monk took the Bobbio Shrine from Ireland to Italy monasteries in Ireland had strong links with Italy as Columbanus had been a monk at Bangor Abbey in modern day County Down.