Baile an Chamhaicigh Thuaidh | Ballyknock North 15 (I-COR-045) — Ogham Stone

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, 532), this roofing flag ‘lies about eighteen feet from the south end’ of 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. 10)

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: CO055-007018-

Object type: Pillar

Material: Sandstone

Dimensions: H 2.36 × W 0.30 × D 0.30 m

Condition: Reused in a souterrain with some damage to the vulnerable edges. Barry (1891, 532-533) noted that the stone was 2.36m (93in.) 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 2.07m (81.5in.).

Inscription

Text field: The inscription is on the sinister angle of one of the broad faces of the stone. Barry (1891, 532) noted that the inscription begins 1.52m (60in.) from the bottom and is 0.46m (18in.) in length.

Letters: The inscription is finely scored in evenly-spaced strokes, although the vowel strokes are mostly lost to damage on the edge of the stone. There is a faint trace of a stroke just before the initial C, which may represent a disregarded guide stroke.

Edition

Ogham text: ᚉ[ᚑ]ᚃᚐᚂᚒᚈᚔ̣

Transcription: C[O]VALUTỊ

Critical apparatus:

Macalister (1945, 92) read: COVALOTI

Translation

of Cúalúath?

Commentary

Ziegler (1994, 156-157) suggests that this name may be made up of the word cú ‘hound’ (as in the name COVAGNI, equated with later Cúán ‘small dog’, see I-MEA-002) and lúath ‘quick, swift’.

References

Barry 1891, 514-535
Macalister 1945, 92-93, no. 96
Power and et al. 1994, no. 4229
Ziegler 1994, 156-157
McManus 2004, 17, no. 10

Visiting the Baile an Chamhaicigh Thuaidh | Ballyknock North 15 (I-COR-045) Ogham Stone

The Baile an Chamhaicigh Thuaidh | Ballyknock North 15 (I-COR-045) stone is one of Ireland's finest early medieval monuments — and well worth the journey. Whether you're a dedicated epigrapher, a history enthusiast, or simply someone who loves exploring ancient places, seeing a 1,500-year-old inscription in person is an experience unlike any other.

Baile an Chamhaicigh Thuaidh | Ballyknock North 15 (I-COR-045)

The Stone in Detail