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, 530), this roofing flag was ‘next to No. 13’ 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. 13)
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: CO055-007017-
Object type: Pillar
Material: Sandstone
Dimensions: H 1.19 × W 0.55 × D 0.12 m
Condition: Reused in a souterrain, the inscription is worn but clear. Barry (1891, 530-531) noted that the stone was 1.19m (47in.) 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 1.08m (42.5in.).
Inscription
Text field: The inscription is up on the dexter angle of one of the broader faces. Barry (1891, 531) noted that the inscription begins 0.51m (20in.) from the bottom.
Letters: The inscription is scored in fine strokes. The spacing is quite irregular.
Edition
Ogham text: ᚐᚅᚋ ᚋᚓᚇᚇᚑᚌᚓᚅᚔ
Transcription: ANM MEDDOGENI
Translation
Name/inscription of Midgen
Commentary
The first word is quite clearly ANM, Old Irish ainm ‘name, inscription’. The following name is made up of Old Irish mid ‘mead’ and the suffix -gen- ‘born of’. However, MEDDUGENI, rather than MEDDOGENI would be expected. While there is space enough for three strokes for a U, only two can be traced on the stone. This name appears in later Irish as Midgen (Ziegler 1994, 205; McManus 2004, 18).
References
- Barry 1891, 514-535
- Macalister 1945, 92, no. 95
- Power and et al. 1994, no. 4228
- Ziegler 1994, 205
- McManus 2004, 18, no. 13