Sometimes referred to as the 'Thomastown' stone, but discovered in the townland of Cloghabrody north of Thomastown 'in a field called the ‘monk's field’ on the W bank of a stream, a tributary of the River Nore, that separates the townlands of Cloghabrody and Columbkille [as well as the parishes of Thomastown and Columbkille]. The church (KK028-043001-) and holy well (KK028-043003-) of Columbkille are on the E side of the stream and it may be that there is a connection between this church site and the ogham stone (pers. comm. Fionnbarr Moore)' (ASI database, www.archaeology.ie). The townland name (Cloch an Bhródaigh) contains the element cloch 'stone', which perhaps refers to this monument.

Monument

1.46m x 0.31m x 0.20m ((McManus 1991, 73).

Text

'The scores are very deeply cut and the inscription is in extremely good condition. It reads up the left-hand arris across the top and down the right in boustrophedon fashion and continues [upwards] on the left-hand side rear arris' ((McManus 1991, 73). The vowels are more like scores than notches and almost as long as the consonant scores, particularly the U of MUCOI at the top of the first angle on the left.

Transliteration

VEDDELLEMETTO MU/CI/ LOGIDDEAS/ AVVI MUNICCONA

Translation

'of Fedelmid/Feidlimid descendant of Loígde grandson of Muinchú'

Commentary

Regarding the first name, compare Knockmahon II, Co. Waterford: VEDILIMETO MAQI TOQITAQ and CIIC 206. Kilcoolaght I, Co. Kerry: [C]EDATTOQ[A] MAQI TELEDMEV... (read: VEDELMET[TO]). 'The name of the commemorand is undoubtedly an early form of Fedelmid/Feidlimid, an i-stem derivative of the female name Fedelm (Latinised and Anglicised Fidelma). The third E of VEDDELLEMETTO, therefore, may be erroneous (as Fedelm, Fedelmid cannot come from *Vedelm-, which would have given *Feidelm, with lenited m) [unless] we may have to do here with a svarabhakti vowel' (McManus 1991, 75, n 6. 28).
MUCI is presumably an error for MUCOI rather than MAQI/MACI and 'the O of LOGIDDEAS might be taken as a variant of the dipthong OI and the equation with the Corcu Loígde would suggest itself' (McManus 1991, 73-4). The sept name AVVI MUNICONNA (*Ui Muinchon?) does not appear to be attested elsewhere. McManus (1991, 75) suggests that 'one might consider the possibility that the N is an error for R (cp. Muirchú)'.

Locations

Found

Discovered in a field called the ‘monk's field’ on the west bank of a stream that separates the townlands of Cloghabrody and Columbkille (as well as the parishes of Thomastown and Columbkille) in the barony of Gowran. The find location of this stone may be accessed via the National Monuments Service Historic Environment viewer on www.archaeology.ie. (Approximate GPS coordinates -7.128603, 52.531772).

Original

Find location probably original site.

Last recorded

On display in the Prior's Room at Jerpoint Abbey. The present location of this stone may be accessed via the National Monuments Service Historic Environment viewer on www.archaeology.ie. (Publicly accessible. GPS coordinates -7.157583, 52.510880)

History of Recording

'Discovered by G. Doyle in 1969 by the bank of a small tributary to the river Nore (no further information is supplied regarding the site of discovery) and has since been erected against an arch at the entrance to the now largely demolished chancel of Thomastown Church, Co. Kilkenny' (McManus 1991, 73). In 2014 the stone was moved to its current location at Jerpoint Abbey where it was recorded in 3d (in collaboration with Digital Heritage Age) in 2020 as an action of the County Kilkenny Heritage Plan Programme. It was funded by the Heritage Office of Kilkenny County Council and the Heritage Council.