The Tara brooch. An 8th century, cast silver-gilt brooch, it was given its famous name by a dealer but was in fact discovered at Bettystown, Co Meath, in 1850 among material fallen from a cliff.
The Broighter hoard. A collection of gold objects from the first century BC found in 1896 near Limavady, Co Derry. It was sold to the British Museum but following legal action was surrendered to the Crown and returned to Ireland in 1903.
The Ardagh chalice. An 8th century silver chalice, probably the finest piece of metalwork in the National Museum collection. It was part of a hoard found in 1868 at Reerasta Rath, a fort near Ardagh, Co Limerick.
The Gleninsheen gorget. Part of a hoard also dating from the 8th century, the gorget is a gold collar found by a boy walking his dog on the Burren in 1932.
The Derrynaflan chalice. The most famous part of a collection of religious objects found in 1980 by a father and son using metal detectors at a monastic site in Littleton bog, near Killenaule, Co Tipperary. The objects were presented to the National Museum but a legal case followed over what the finders saw as inadequate rewards.