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, 528), this roofing flag was ‘next to No. 11’ 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. 8)
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: CO055-007015-
Object type: Pillar
Material: Sandstone
Dimensions: H 1.52 × W 0.37 × D 0.24 m
Condition: Reused in a souterrain, the inscription is worn but legible. Barry (1891, 528) noted that the stone was 1.52m (60in.) in height. All of the ogham stones in the UCC collection underwent conservation in 2006. The stones are currently in display cases and held in position by brackets. The current visible extent above the display case is 1.28m (50in.).
Inscription
Text field: The inscription is up on the dexter angle of one of the broader faces.
Letters: The inscription is chiselled in rather short strokes.
Edition
Ogham text: ᚓᚏᚉᚐᚔᚇᚐᚅᚐ
Transcription: ERCAIDANA
Translation
of *Ercáed
Commentary
This name has been interpreted as containing the elements erc ‘speckled’ and áed ‘fire’ (although ERCAIDONA would rather be expected), both commonly found in ogham and later but not together elsewhere.
References
- Barry 1891, 514-535
- Macalister 1945, 91, no. 93
- Power and et al. 1994, no. 4226
- Ziegler 1994, 179
- McManus 2004, 16, no. 8