Spectacular find...

The Broighter gold boat Approximately 10 cm long In 1896 a farmer, Tom Nicholl, unearthed what has been described as the " greatest gold hoard in Ireland" consisting of necklaces, torcs, a collar and a miniature boat complete with oars and seats. All these items were made of gold in an ornamental style known as "La Tene" Having been discovered, the next question was who could now claim these objects as their own?. For if it could be proved they had been lost, rather than deliberately concealed, then it was "finders keepers". It became a celebrated court-case which by 1903 reached the Royal Courts of Justice London. Some argued that at one time that area had been covered by the sea and the hoard had been deliberately thrown into the water as a votive offering. However others proposed that the sea never reached these fields and so the ornaments were quite likely hidden with the intention of recovery later.

The Broighter gold Collar Eventually the court decided that the hoard had been deliberately concealed so was "treasure trove" and therefore belonged to the Crown. The gold was handed over to the National Museum in Dublin where it still resides although there is a replica set in the Ulster Museum Belfast. Jim Hunter in his booklet "The Broighter Gold Hoard" however points out that the gold collar is decorated with sea horses and that, together with the little gold boat, would indicate it was probably a votive offering to a sea god. This treasure had probably been buried in the Broighter area for collection at a later date. And yet, argues Mr Hunter, why bury something in an area which was liable to flooding either from the River Roe or Lough Foyle?

see also:

Finding the man who found the Broighter Gold - article by Joe Simpson

YOUR RESPONSES

Robert MacMacinall - June '08
Golden boats are awesome!

Roxanne N - June '08
This is sooo exciting for me... when I was a child I wrote a story about an irish princess that got a golden boat for her 15th birthday so she could travel the world (which was her dream) and when I was 21 I got a book called 'Spectacular Ireland' and i saw the boat on pg 17.
Lately I have been thinking about it all again and I discovered this. wow..

Philip Nicholl - May '07
Tom Nicholl was my Dad's great great Grand father. I currently live in co.Down but am still proud of of my family's History

Des Nicholl - Feb '07
I have read the articles and comments with interest, as Thomas Nicholl was my grandfather. I have little recollection of him apart from him placing the crook of his walking stick round my neck to pull me towards him! In 1996 an exhibition was set up in Roe Valley Country Park, with a scene of Thomas Nicholl at the plough, unearthing the gold. At that time my father (Samuel Nicholl) was still alive, and I haev aphoto of him with myself and my son (called Thomas) in front of the exhibit. A commemorative one pound coin was struck to mark the anniversary of the find. Glad to hear from any friends or family about this

Charlotte Nicholl - Nov '06
Tom Nicholl was my great grandfather, i'm a cousin of nigel below, great to see him getting recognition.

Emily Mullan - Nov '06
I'm currently doing research for a univeristy project on tourism in Limavady. I'm concentrating on the Broighter gold and Danny Boy. If anyone has any comments or opinions feel free to contact me at emily_mullan @ hotmail.co.uk. I'm very interested in local opinion!

Michelle Mc Laughlin - Nov '06
This thing the Broighter Gold is so cool looking a cant believe there was a Golden Boat and a Golden Collar. I cant believe I found so much on this site on my project in school I got an A+ so thanks whoever wrote it.

Johnny Kee - Sep '06
Tom nicholl is a great great great grandfather of mine and im still proud of him.

Diarmaid O'Kane - Aug '06
It seems most likely that this great work of art was buried by it's last rightful owners the O'Cathains, who ruled and lived in the area up until 1607. The gold was most probably buried to prevent it being seized (and possibly destroyed) by the English invaders, like all the land and valuable possessions in the local area, (including the Bushmills distillery and Dungiven priory) which were given to Sir Thomas Philips at that time. It would be nice to have the original in the area again, or at the very least a replica.

Joe Simpson - May '06
If Tom Nicholl's descendants Dr Nigel Rodden, Maxine Nicholl, Geoffrey Riley, Davy Mills would like to email me (Joe Simpson) at otesaga AT shaw DOT ca then I would be happy to make arrangements for them each to receive a print copy of the early 1950's colour slide that my father took of Tom Nicholl outside his home. I have the slide with me here in BC, Canada on loan from my father, so - carpe diem!

Davy Mills - May '06
Tom Nicholl was my great great grandfather and I believe that it should be returned to Limavady its origin.

Davy Mills - April '06
This historical ''treasure trove'' was found in the Limavady/Ballykelly area and that is where it should be domicile, on show for the local people and tourists. A museum dealing with the area would be an asset to the county.

Suzanne Alder - March '06
I "googled" Joseph Douglas Gibson of Broighter, and lo and behold I came up with this wonderful site. I am very interested in contacting anyone who might know of his family. We have common ancestors. I believe Joseph married Agnes Cromie and they had a daughter in 1936. I am very interested in genealogy and am trying to find out some information. Could Avril Bagbrough please contact me?

Geoffrey Riley, Ontario Canada - March '06
I was born in Limavady, 1964. I was brought to Canada in 1976 by my parents Harold & Molly Riley. Mr Thomas Nicholl was my Great-grandfather on my fathers side. My fathers mum was Thomas Nicholls daughter. I believe my father has the paper clippings from a long time ago that were given to him by Thomas Nicholl. It is nice too see now that my great-grandfather is actually getting the recognition that he deserved all those years ago.

Avril Blagbrough - Feb '06
My grandmother (Margaret Jackson) was best friends with Jeannie Gibson, the daughter of Mr Gibson who owned Broighter.
On the day the gold was found she was at Broighter playing with Jeannie and she remembered the find being brought in to the house and washed at the kitchen sink.
The Mr and Mrs Gibson whom Joe Simpson remembers at Ballykelly church were Douglas and Agnes Gibson, Douglas being the son of Mr Gibson who owned Broighter in 1896.

Maxine Nicholl - Jan '06
I agree with Mr Mullan being a relative of Thomas Nicholl I feel that the Gold should be returned to the place of it's origin where it belongs.

Dr Nigel Rodden - November '05
Tom Nicholl was my great-grandfather and the family are still very proud of his discovery. It is true, however, that such a significant find near Limavady is little recognised by the Town. It would be satisfying to see his discovery being given some more recognition now some 110 years after the find.

Joe Simpson, BC, Canada - Sept '05
Somewhere in my parents' home in Co. Down, NI my father has an old colour slide photo that he took over half a century ago of the octogenarian. Tom Nicholl, who as a young man had found the Broighter hoard while ploughing land near Ballykelly, Co. Derry then owned by a Mr. Gibson, if I recall the facts correctly. I grew up in Ballykelly Village during the 1950s/early 1960s, when my faher was the Presbyterian minister there, and remember sitting every Sunday morning for years in the "manse" pew at the back of the church immediately behind the pew where Mr. & Mrs. Gibson always sat - he being a son and heir of the same Mr. Gibson (Snr.) who had once hired Tom Nicholl to plough his fields. I recall my father telling me that Mr. Nicholl told him over 50 years later that he never received any reward from the Government for discovering the treasure, which at the time resembled a lump of scrap metal covered in mud. Being an honest man, Mr. Nicholl never regretted handing over his discovery to his employer, and the British Government (later the Irish Government) eventually taking it.

Gerry Mullan - February '05
It is about time this was brought back to Limavady and its place of origin! Maybe when our town leaders can eventually get th e local museum off the ground this maybe become a priority for them. But somehow their lethargy to date maybe their undoing.