Medallion looks to be made of a soft pot metal with an embossed crest on the obverse showing two figures holding a shield with a cross in a sunburst above it. On the shield is a lamb holding a church flag above the letters “I H S.” Around the edges of the medallion is “IN HOC SIGNO VINCES” or “IN THIS SIGN YOU WILL CONQUER.”

Reverse has a cross at center with these words “PLEDGE // I PROMISE TO ABSTAIN FROM ANY INTOXICATING DRINKS & EXCEPT USED MEDICINALLY AND BY ORDER OF A MEDICAL MAN AND TO DISCOUNTANANCE THE CAUSE AND PRACTICE OF INTEMPERANCE.” Around the edges of the medallion is “CORK ROMAN CATHOLIC TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY / THE VERY REVDT. MATHEW PRESIDENT.” The reverse is also marked “FOUNDED 10 APRIL 1838.”

There is a hole punched at top of the item. This hole is broken and is probably the cause of the medallion being lost.

Medallion has a dark patina and appears to be dug.

A website discussing the Society says the medallion is:

“A small relic indeed but it reflects the roots of one of the most extraordinarily successful (however brief) mass movements in Irish social history, ultimately enlisting millions of Irish men and women. Although a teetotalism movement was already underway in Cork it was under the leadership of Father (Theobald) Mathew, from 1836, that the Cork Total Abstinence Society took off; under his influence branches of the organization soon spread throughout every parish in Ireland despite being badly disrupted by the Great Famine.

The mass pledging (some 3 million people or roughly half the population) that ensued no doubt had the effect of reducing alcohol consumption and the knock on effect on the crime statistics of the period is significant. It was recorded that robberies, assaults, arson and even homicides were thus reduced by half in the pre-Famine period before 1845.

Bringing his message further afield to England Father Mathew’s crusade yielded similar success. In 1849 he visited America but while there he fell afoul of the Abolitionist movement whereby, having had to give assurances to the Catholic Hierarchy there that he would not stray outside his remit of battling alcohol consumption, he had to refuse an invitation to condemn slavery.”

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