'Located on a gentle S facing slope at the foot of Foilclogh mountain, on the E bank of a small stream, this site [KE089-011----] provides broad views across boglands to Ballinskelligs Bay at S. Known locally as 'Keeldarragh' (Lynch 1909, 164), it is approximately circular in plan and is enclosed by a bank which features an entrance at E and an arrangement of pillars at W. This latter feature may represent a second entrance. Within the interior is a circular hut, three possible leachta and a cross-slab. An ogham stone is now located outside the E entrance, and a souterrain was recently revealed immediately outside the enclosure at WNW' (O'Sullivan et al 1996, no. 936). Macalister (1945, 224) recorded the site as a ringfort. Although Lynch (1909, 164) described the site as a 'cashel', he believed it to have been 'some kind of religious foundation'.

Monument

'Slate', 2.08m x 0.38m x 0.18m (converted from Macalister 1945, 224).

Text

'Inscription in poor condition [up] and complicated by being a palimpsest ' (Macalister 1945, 224). Very little of Macalister's earlier inscription (D[...]A[.C.] AVI DALAGNI [MAQI C--) can be determined and so a transcription is not supplied below. However, the scores and notches following the -NN of CARATTINN, can be made out from the 3d data and Macalister's earlier reading: BRIC (1902, ) looks more likely than his later alternative suggestion: MAQI C (1945, 224). The X-forfid, with vocalic value representing 2E of EQQEGGNI, is very worn and therefore uncertain.

Transliteration

EQQẸGGNỊ [MA]Q̣[I] ṂẠQI-CAṚATTỊNN

Translation

'of Ec..án? son of Mac-Cáirthinn'

Commentary

Macalister (1945, 224) noted that 'the last name [CARATTINN] is possibly that of the eponymus of the townland'. Logainm.ie gives the Irish version of the townland name (Cloghanecarhan) as Clochán Cárthainn. The same name, in an earlier pre-apocope form (MAQI-CAIRATINI), appears on an ogham stone from Painestown, Co Meath (CIIC 40). MAQI- (gen. of MAQ(Q)AS), as a first element meaning 'devotee' or the like, rather than 'son' and cáerthann 'rowan tree' as the second (McManus 1991, 108-9).

Locations

Found

originally stood at the E entrance of the site at Cloghanecarhan, in the barony of Iveragh (O'Sullivan et al 1996, no. 936). (GPS coordinates -10.183738, 51.888405)

Original

Find location possibly original site

Last Recorded

Currently lies on two concrete mounts just outside the entrance at the E of the site. The present location of this stone may be accessed via the National Monuments Service Historic Environment viewer on www.archaeology.ie.