Coinage in Ireland from Viking era
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Dora Reid, Sheila Reid and Sinéad Glennon.Image 2 of 8
Tom and Joe Kenny, cousins of Michael Kenny, who delivered the lecture on coin hoards found in Westmeath, with Brigid Cody at the event in the Greville Arms.Image 3 of 8
Finian Burke (top) and Pat L’Estrange.Image 4 of 8
Michael Kenny with his granddaughter Ciara, daughter Sinéad and son Donal.Image 5 of 8
Coin with insignia of Philip and Queen Mary as well as crown over the Irish harp.Image 6 of 8
Gold ring found on Cherry Island, Lough Ennell with ‘In constancy I live and die’ on the inner rim.Image 7 of 8
St Patrick depicted driving out the snakes on a coin from the medieval era.Image 8 of 8
The Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society lecture by Moyvore native Michael Kenny drew a large and diverse attendance to The Greville Arms Hotel on Wednesday of last week.
A former curator in the National Museum, Michael presented a survey of coinage in Ireland from Viking times to the production of the so called Gun money by James 11 in the 1680s.
Many of the hoards were deposited on islands in Lough Ennell such as Cherry and Dysart island and were discovered subsequently. They depict the history of our country since the invasions of the ninth century up to contemporary times. Michael displayed coins from Mesopotamia which ended up in what is now Westmeath but was then the centre of the prosperous kingdom of Meath.
Most coins featured the reigning monarchs’ heads, and others had images of St Patrick and the Irish harp
Michael’s lecture was well received and many of his family and neighbours from Dalystown and Moyvore turned out to support him.