Dossier 7 - Total Abstinence Society Medals

Face (front): Centre: Man and woman on pedestal on which two children are seated. The adults carry a shield surmounted by a cross, with an angel above. The upper part of the shield has a lamb bearing a banner. The man bears a banner with the words ‘sobriety’. The woman bears a banner with the words ‘Domestic Comfort’. Outer-edge inscription reads: ‘In hoc signo vinces’.
Obverse: Cruciform text of pledge. Outer edge inscription reads: ‘Total Abstinence Society, The Very Rev. T. Mathew, President’. Variant inscriptions read ‘Cork Total Abstinence Society …’ or ‘Cork Roman Catholic Total Abstinence Society …’. Inner rim inscription reads ‘Founded 10 April 1838’.
All of the medals in this file have been encased in glass. One is in purple-coloured glass and another in orange-coloured glass. One of the temperance medals is attached to a commemorative medal marking the death of Daniel O’Connell. The front shows a portrait of O’Connell with the wording ‘Daniel O’Connell Esq. MP., The Friend of His Country’ and the obverse a gravestone with ‘D. O’Connell, Born, 6 August 1775, Died, 15 May 1847’ above ‘Catholic Emancipation, Repeal’ with a weeping Hibernia, along with a harp.