Provenance
Discovery: Found in a field fence to the south of the ‘calluragh’ (Cuppage et al 1986, 264) in the townland of Ballintaggart and barony of Corkaguiney. First mentioned by Vallancey in 1804 (Macalister 1945, 151).
Findspot: Ballintaggart (Baile an tSagairt), Co. Kerry, Ireland (ITM coordinates (approximate): 446414, 599691)
Last recorded location(s): in situ (inside modern enclosure)
Support
National Monuments Service SMR ID: KE053-033012-
Object type: Cross-carved pulvinar pillar
Material: Sandstone
Dimensions: H 1.19 × W 0.41 × D 0.23 m
Condition: The stone is ‘less regular and smooth than the others but is of the same rounded oval form’ (Cuppage et al 1986, 265).
Inscription
Text field: A worn inscription unusually up on the sinister side and across the top right the left.
Letters: Pocked and rubbed. Vowels strokes are shorter, possibly because of the irregular (less rounded) shape of the stone. Macalister (1945, 155-156) states ‘the last five letters, while not in serious doubt, can scarcely be discerned’. Cuppage et al (1986, 265) notes that ‘the ogham inscription is not clear and has been variously interpreted’.
Edition
Transcription: CUṆẠMAQQ̣I AVI CỌRBBI
Critical apparatus:
- McManus (1991, 67) read: CUb/miMAQQI AVI CORBBI 2. Macalister (1945, 156) read: CUNAMAQQI AVI CORBBI 3. O’Kelly (1986) read: CULI MAQQI AVI CORBI 4. After initial C, the 3D model shows the three U notches, along with faint traces of two scores of a possible N, which would agree with Macalister’s reading, but a possible CULI cannot be ruled out.
Translation
Conmac Uí Chuirb
Commentary
This is one of the inscriptions listed by McManus (1991, 93-94) to be among the earliest in the corpus showing no trace of vowel affection. It may be dated to the first half, or the early second half, of the fifth century (McManus 1991, 97).
In this inscription we have an example of a tribal or sept name introduced by the formula word AVI (Mod Ir. Uí ‘grandson/descendant of’) and followed by the name of the ancestor of the kindred (McManus 1991, 111, 118-119), in this case Corb (possibly related to corbaid ‘defiles’ (McManus 1991, 107), cf. CIIC 38. Ballyboodan, Co. Kilkenny and CIIC 154. Ballinrannig, Co. Kerry, where it appears as a possessive genitive directly following CUNAMAQQI, without AVI or MAQI to express the relationship).
References
- Bennett, Uí Shíthigh, Holden, and Ó Bric 1995, 18
- Cuppage 1986, 264-266
- Devane 2001, 369-372
- Macalister 1945, 151, 155-156
- McManus 1991, 67, 93-4, 97, 111