Tully Lough Cross

Tully Lough Cross
Upper part of the cross
Material	Oak, bronze, gold, glass, amber
Size	Height: 127 cm (50 in) Width: 43.8 cm (17.2 in)
Created	8th or 9th century[1]
Discovered	July 1986 Tully Lough, County Roscommon
Present location	National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin

The Tully Lough Cross is an 8th- or 9th-century Irish altar or processional cross discovered in 1986 at the bottom of Tully Lough, County Roscommon. Although its origin is unknown, archaeologists associate it with a church in Kilmore, County Cavan. It was formed from a wooden core overlain with bronze sheets containing spirals influenced by Iron Age Celtic Ultimate La Tène style. Its dating is based on its use of amber and style of ornamentation.

When rediscovered, the Tully Lough Cross was badly damaged, and broken into pieces. It was repaired in the late 1980s when lost metal parts were replaced, and it was reconstruction based on similar crosses from contemporary Irish manuscript illustrations and high crosses.^[2] The divers failed to report the finding of this highly important object of national heritage to the Irish government, as required by law. One of them was later prosecuted for trying to sell it to a number of American museums, including the Getty in California at an offer price of $1.75m.

It was acquired by the NMI in 1990, where it is on permanent display.^[3]