Provenance
Discovery: Discovered by Rev. W. P. (afterwards Dean) Carmody, then rector of Connor, in the year 1898. One of two inscribed stones, used in roofing a souterrain c. 8m (26ft. 6in.) long, where they were last but one at each end of nine roofing stones in total (Macalister 1945, 297; Buick 1900, 266). This stone remains where it was found, and, as the souterrain is now closed, is inaccessible. There are now no visible remains of this souterrain. The second (I-ANT-002) is in the National Museum, Dublin.
Findspot: Carncome (Carn Coim), Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland (approximate. National Grid Reference: J1604096680)
Last recorded location(s): Currently in situ in the souterrain but inaccessible.
Support
Northern Ireland Sites and Monuments Record Number: ANT038:032
Object type: Pillar
Material: Basalt
Dimensions: H c.1.22 m
Condition: Noted by Buick (1900, 266) to be a little over 1.22m (4ft.) long, it is one of two ogham-inscribed pillars (see also I-ANT-002) reused as lintels in a souterrain.
Inscription
Text field: The inscription runs along one edge for ‘2 feet’ or approximately 60cm (Buick 1900, 266).
Letters: The ogham strokes in this inscription (also its companion I-ANT-002) are particularly lightly scored, described by Macalister (1945, 297) as ‘little more than pin-scrapes’. Buick (1900, 266) noted that the average length of most of the consonants is c. 1.9cm (3/4in.). Others, however, run up to 2.5cm (1in.), and a few, such as Rs and Ms, to c. 5cm (2in.). All of them look as if they had been scored in with a nail. The I of MAQI was observed to be ‘quite crowded’ (Buick 1900, 268).
Edition
Ogham text: ᚈᚑᚏᚐᚓᚄᚉᚓ̣ᚒ̣ᚄᚐᚄ ᚋᚐᚊᚔ ᚋᚒ̣ᚉᚑᚔ ᚋᚓᚒᚈᚔᚅᚔ
Transcription: TORAESCẸỤSAS MAQI MỤCOI MEUTINI
Critical apparatus:
- Regarding the reading of the first name, TORAESCEUSAS, Rhys commented that he ‘agreed with Dr. Buick in treating the second vowel group as AE rather than I; but as to the next, I could only convince myself that it consisted of seven or eight notches, without indication where they should be divided.’ (Buick 1900, 268). 2. EU: UE; OI; IO (taking them to be seven strokes)
References
- Buick 1900-1902, 265-271
- Macalister 1945, 297