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, 525), this roofing flag was ‘next to No. 7’ 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. 7)
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: CO055-007011-
Object type: Pillar
Material: Sandstone
Dimensions: H 1.44 × W 0.39 × D 0.23 m
Condition: Reused in souterrain, the inscription is worn and slightly chipped. Barry (1891, 525) noted that the stone was 1.44m (57in.) 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 1.27m (50in.).
Inscription
Text field: The inscription, on the dexter edge, begins 0.83m (33in.) from the bottom and turns right at the top for the last five characters (Barry 1891, 525).
Letters: The inscription is pocked in relatively short, closely-spaced strokes.
Edition
Ogham text: ᚁᚑᚌ̣ᚐᚔ ᚋᚐᚊᚔ ᚁᚔᚏ̣ᚐ̣ᚉᚑ
Transcription: BOG̣AI MAQI BIṚẠCO
Critical apparatus:
- Macalister (1945, 89) read a final O in the father’s name (see also Barry 1891, 525, 534), adding that, due to damage to the stone at this point, this could be the remains of an I.
Translation
of Boc? son of Berach
Commentary
It has been suggested (McManus 2004, 16; Ziegler 1994, 139) that the inital name (BOGAI) may be the word boc ‘soft, gentle, tender’ (compare diminutive Bocán in CGH S. 521), although the -AI ending is unexpected. The father’s name may be the later attested Berach, ‘an adjectival derivative of bir ‘spear, point” (McManus 2004, 16, Ziegler 1994, 137).
References
- Barry 1891, 514-535
- Macalister 1945, 88-89, no. 89
- Power and et al. 1994, no. 4222
- Ziegler 1994, 137, 139
- McManus 2004, 16, no. 7