Provenance
Discovery: The inscription was discovered by Mr. Joseph Humphreys of Cork on an upright stone standing at the head of a grave 20m SE of the ruined parish church in Aghabulloge graveyard (CO061-08002-).
Findspot: Coolineagh (Cúil an Fhéich), Co. Cork, Ireland (ITM Coordinates: 543956, 578104)
Last recorded location(s): In situ in Aghabulloge graveyard.
Support
National Monuments Service SMR ID: CO061-080005-
Object type: Pillar
Material: Sandstone
Dimensions: H 1.57 × W 0.29 × D 0.17 m
Condition: The inscription is ‘fractured, worn smooth, and covered with lichen’ in places, ‘though in good condition at the ends’ (Macalister 1945, 103-104). An oval quartzite boulder (0.2m x 0.15m; 7.9in. x 5.9in.) is cemented to the top of the stone.
Inscription
Text field: The inscription is on the NE angle of the stone. There are two plain crosses ‘scratched upon the back of the stone, and another cross is roughly cut on the H-surface.’ (Macalister 1945, 103-104).
Letters: Macalister (1945, 104) noted that the scores of the inscription ‘are smoothed out by rubbing’ and are ‘much rubbed in the middle’ of the inscription.
Edition
Ogham text: ᚐᚅᚋ ᚉᚑᚏᚏᚓ ᚋᚐᚊᚃᚔ ᚒᚇᚇ[ᚌᚂᚑ]ᚓᚈᚈ
Transcription: ANM CORRE MAQVI UDD[GLO]METT
Commentary
According to Brash (1879, 130) ‘this stone was formerly held in great veneration, and was called St. Olan’s stone; it had a moveable cap of a semi-globular shape, known as the Coppeen Olan’. According to Hartnett (PJH) it was ‘alleged to be an unfailing talisman in child-birth cases and was much sought after in other cases of female illness’. He also noted ‘that rounds were paid at this stone, in conjunction with St. Olan’s stone (CO061-080006-) and St. Olan’s well, on the feast day of St. Olan Sept. 5th’ (Power et al. 1997, no. 7959).
References
- Brash 1879, 130
- Macalister 1945, 103-105
- Power, Byrne, Egan, Lane, and Sleeman 1997, no. 7959