Although not considered as innovative and significant as near contemporary examples, such as the Tara Brooch, it is formed from unusually high-quality material, including first-grade silver and its linings of amber, which was very difficult to source in Ireland at the time.

Writing in 1983, historian Micheal Ryan gave a probable dating of the mid to late-9th century,[2] and Henderson notes that its zoomorphic iconography has parallels with Scottish designs of that period.

[6] The brooch, and the 8th century Book of Dimma found at Roscrea Abbey, and Stowe Missal from the nearby village of Lorrha, indicate the relative prosperity of the town during the period.

[7] In 1993, the historian Orna Somerville noted how, by the 8th century, brooch rings such as the current example and those found in the Hill of Tara and at Killamery, "had ceased to be functional and was primarily a vehicle for elaborate decoration".

[16][17] Its depictions of animals are of both the Tara (c. 710–750 AD) type strap-like (flat) and Killamery Brooch (9th century) tube-like body (rounded) forms, and is thus considered to be a transitional work between these two periods.

O'Toole wrote that the object's "abstract patterns and elongated animals are typical of basic forms of Irish visual art" and that "there is as much continuity here as there is innovation.

"[22] The influence of contact with recent Viking invaders is evident in two ways, most notably from its composition of high-quality silver, which would have been very difficult to source locally.