The William Smith O’Brien Challenge Cup

The William Smith O’Brien Challenge Cup

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The campana-shaped body with two scrolling handles on a spreading foot, chased overall with foliage and flowers, further chased on one side with a woman at a spinning wheel and engraved on the other side with an inscription FLAX LIMERICK CHALLENGE CUP THIS CUP IS TO BE HELD SUBJECT TO CHALLENGE BY THE PERSON TO WHOM IT MAY BE DULY AWARDED FOR HAVING CULTIVATED IN THE SEASON PRECEDING SUCH AWARD AS OWNER OR TENANT THE GREATEST NUMBER OF ACRES UNDER A CROP OF FLAX WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE COUNTY OF LIMERICK OR AT THE COUNTY OF THE CITY OF LIMERICK IT IS CHALLENGEABLE YEARLY AND WILL BE AWARDED ON THE FOREGOING CONDITIONS AFTER THE FLAX CROP SHALL HAVE BEEN HARVESTED IN EACH YEAR THIS CUP IS TO BECOME THE PROPERTY OF THE PERSON TO WHOM IT MAY BE DULY AWARDED ON SUCCESSFUL CHALLENGE FOR CULTIVATION OF FLAX DURING THREE SUCCESSIVE SEASONS PRESENTED BY WILLIAM SMITH O’BRIEN JANUARY 1864.

William Smith O’Brien (1803–64) was a Member of the Irish Parliament and a leader of the Young Ireland movement. He was an advocate of the Irish nationalist agenda and was committed to eliminating famine in Limerick.

RDS Treasures Collection

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RDS Library & Archives

Silver

1863

Silver

29 cm