Provenance
Discovery: Discovered in the NW quadrant of a large rath or ringfort (CO055-007001-) at Castle farm (also site of Ballyknock castle CO055-007004-). According to Barry (1891, 527), this roofing flag was ‘next to No. 10’ (although the inscribed fragment was found ‘lying on the third flag from it’) in the souterrain (CO055-007003-) where fourteen other ogham stones were also found (I-COR-031 - I-COR-045), all but one (I-COR-031) acting as lintels. A high percentage of ogham stones in Ireland are found reused in souterrains, particularly in Co. Cork but this is the highest number from a single souterrain.
Findspot: Ballyknock North (Baile an Chamhaicigh Thuaidh), Co. Cork, Ireland (ITM Coordinates: 594327, 586954)
Current repository: Ireland University College Cork (inv. no. 17)
Last recorded location(s): The stone is currently on permanent display in the Stone Corridor (‘Rúin na gCloch / Stories in Stone’ exhibition), University College Cork, where it was examined and photographed for the OG(H)AM project in May 2024.
Support
National Monuments Service SMR ID: CO055-007014-
Object type: Pillar
Material: Sandstone
Dimensions: H 1.37 × W 0.39 × D 0.15 m
Condition: Reused in a souterrain. The top and B-aicme surface are damaged resulting in a gap in the surviving inscription. Barry (1891, 527) noted that the stone was 1.37m (54 inches) in height but broken and the inscribed fragment is 0.58 x 0.20 x 0.58m (23 x 8 x 23 in). All of the ogham stones in the UCC collection underwent conservation in 2006 and this stone needed more work than most as it had been repaired using cement, which had to be removed with hand-chisels. It was then restored by re-bonding with polyester stone adhesive (information from the conservator, Jason Ellis). The stones are currently in display cases and held in position by brackets. The current visible extent above the display case is 1.02m (40in.).
Inscription
Text field: Up on a dexter angle with consonant strokes almost the width of the narrow side of the stone.
Letters: The inscription is pocked in bold strokes. The M-stroke is more straight than sloped.
Edition
Ogham text: ᚐᚉᚈᚑ ᚋᚐᚊᚔ̣ [. 8-10.
Transcription: ACTO MAQỊ [. 8-10.]MAGO
Critical apparatus:
- Barry (1891, 534) read part of an M-stroke after MAQI, noting that Professor Rhys ‘discovered the left extremity of the second M’.
Translation
of Acht son of …mug?
Commentary
ACTO (later Acht) may be related to the Old Irish verb aigid ‘to lead, drive’ and the later attested name Achtán. The name ACTO may also occur in inscription I-MAY-007 (Aghaleague, Co. Mayo). The final four characters -MAGO are probably the fragmentary end of the father’s name and may correspond to the Old Irish word mug (gen. mogo, moga) ‘slave’ (McManus 2004, 19; Ziegler 1994, 122, 202)
References
- Barry 1891, 514-535
- Macalister 1945, 91, no. 92
- Power and et al. 1994, no. 4225
- Ziegler 1994, 122, 202
- McManus 2004, 19, no. 17