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CIIC 215. Whitefield I, Co. Kerry

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© 2016-08-05

Transliteration

ALATTO CELI BAT/TIG/NI

Translation

'of Allaid follower of Báethíne''

Commentary

This is one of the few ogham inscriptions with an undamaged and clear use of the formula word CELI (Old Irish céile 'client, vassal, fellow; devotee, follower' (McManus 1991, 51). However, McManus notes the possibility that this could be 'a possessive genitive type ['(son) of'] with the name CELI-BATTIGNI' (McManus 1991, 171, n.19). .

This is one of the inscriptions listed by McManus (1991, 94-5) in which apocope (loss of final consonants or syllables) begins to show itself (ALATTO (earlier -OS; cf.CIIC 5. ALATTOS MAQI BR... at Rusheens East, Co. Mayo). On this basis it may be dated to the first half of the sixth century (McManus 1991, 97).

The personal name ALATTO(S) appears to be Old Irish Allaid 'wild' and BATTIGNI, with a diminutive suffix, Old Irish Báethíne from Báeth 'foolish' (McManus 1991, 106-7).

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