Provenance
Discovery: Rev. J. Goodman discovered the stone in 1855 (Macalister 1945, 165). According to Hitchcock (1856, 439-441; Macalister 1945, 165), it was found lying beside Cathair na gCat which is a small circular cashel with a raised interior, and placed inside the fort by the discoverer ‘for protection’. Inside are the remains of two stone huts, a possible souterrain and an ogham stone (Cuppage 1986, 194-195). According to Curran (OPW file) it was discovered acting as the entrance lintel to the souterrain within the cashel. He was of the opinion that the ogham stone had been taken from the nearby ancient cemetery called the Raingiléis, which is also known as an early Christian settlement. In 1887 Ferguson stated that the stone had been found in an adjoining killeen (Cuppage 1986, 194-195). Townland of Ballywiheen and barony of Corkaguiney.
Findspot: Ballywiheen (Baile Uí Bhaoithín), Co. Kerry, Ireland (ITM coordinates (current location): 435281, 603210)
Last recorded location(s): In situ. Lying on top of Cathair na gCat fort in two pieces.
Support
National Monuments Service SMR ID: KE042-093003-
Object type: Slab
Material: Sandstone
Dimensions: H 1.92 × W 0.46 × D 0.16 m
Condition: Described by Moore (unpub MA thesis) as a smooth grey sandstone with a purple grain running through it. ‘The stone was smashed into 3 pieces in the 1880’s (in search of gold) and one fragment was lost’ (Cuppage 1986, 194) taking with it the last three letters (-TOS).
Letters: The inscription appears to have been v-cut and is in neat, evenly-spaced strokes. The vowels are not much shorter than the consonants. Apart from the loss of the last three letters, ‘the inscription is otherwise perfect’ (Macalister 1945, 165). Inspection of the inscription with Fionnbarr Moore at the time of scanning found that the initial T is faint but discernible. The M of MAQI is at the point of the break in the stone but the lower half of the M, towards the back of the stone, is clear. A spall has removed the upper half. SAGARRET is clear.
Edition
Transcription: TOGITTACC MAQI SAG{A}RET[TOS]
Critical apparatus:
- The last three letters are restored from Ferguson’s cast (Macalister 1945, 165)
Translation
of Toicthech son of Sáraid?
Commentary
In this inscription we appear to have an example of an ‘erroneous…addition of a single score’ with SAGARETTOS for expected SAGRETTOS (Sáraid?) (McManus 1991, 7, 108).
According to McManus (1991, 84) the name TOGITTACC was formed from the word for ‘good luck’ with an adjectival suffix -ākos. The spelling of TOGITTACC (for an expected TOGETTACC[I]) may reflect the falling together of unstressed /e/ and /i/ prior to syncope (McManus 1991, 82, 118).
This inscription may be dated to the first half of the sixth century based on the preservation of -OS (though now lost) in SAGARETTOS and the loss of -I in TOGITTACC (McManus 1991, 94, 97).
References
- Bennett, Uí Shíthigh, Holden, and Ó Bric 1995, 9
- Cuppage 1986, 194-195
- Macalister 1898, 15-20
- Macalister 1945, 165-166
- McManus 1991, 7, 82, 84, 94, 97, 118