'Kilcoolaght Burial Ground/Cill Chuallachta (KE065-003001-): This site is located N of Macgillycuddy's Reeks on slightly elevated ground, a short distance W of the Finglas river. Described as a 'fort' and a 'burial ground' in the OSNB (Killorglin, 38), it is depicted on the first edition of the OS map as a small circular enclosure. It was described by Brash (1879, 228) as 'slightly raised above the level of the field, and about fifteen feet in diameter; it had evidently been much larger, but has been encroached on . . . [It] is an irregular circle without any fence, and stuck full of Dallans, from 12 in. to 4 ft. in height, several of which are inscribed’. Brash also recorded a tradition that a church (KE065-003003-) formerly stood on a rectangular area of untilled ground ‘a few yards from the cilleen'. No trace of this church is now apparent' (O'Sullivan et al 1996, no. 950).

Monument

Sandstone, 0.74m x 0.24m x 0.18m. O'Sullivan et al (1996, no. 950) records that 'a portion of the neatly scored inscription occurs beneath present ground level' confirming that the stone was still standing at the time of the survey. Macalister (1945, 203) recorded the height of the stone as 3 feet 6 inches (1.07m). By the time it was recorded by Fios Feasa (Multimedia CD ROM, 2002) the stone was broken and lying on the ground. On the opposite face to the inscription, this stone also displays V-sectioned grooves like CIIC 206. These 'hone scores' or long narrow cuts in the stone are not unlike those found on the ogham stones at Ratass, Co. Kerry; Church Island, Co. Kerry; CIIC 19. Colbinstown I, Co. Kildare; CIIC 57. Greenhill I, Co. Cork and CIIC 35. Tullaherin, Co. Kilkenny (see Newman 2009, 433-4).

Text

'Inscription pocked, and in good condition as far as it goes, but both ends broken away.. The older books show an A preceding the double G, but I could not presuade myself of its existence. The M has a slight S-like curve'. Although he also noted that there was enough room 'after the double G for the three notches of a U', Macalister (1945, 203-4) finally decided in favour of an O. The final -LL in Macalister's transcription, along with the final vowel notch of the -I-, are now lost through a further break in the stone, presumably when it was removed from it's upright position sometime between 1996 and 2002.

Transliteration

[ ̣ ̣ ? ̣ ̣A]GGO MAQI AGỊ[LL ̣ ̣ ? ̣ ̣]

Translation

Commentary

Locations

Found

along with a number of other ogham stones and fragments in a small area of a field (recorded as a burial ground) in the townland of Kilcoolaght East and barony of Dunkerron North. (GPS coordinates -9.745808, 52.073955)

Original

Find location possibly original site

Last Recorded

In a modern enclosure in a large field on private land. The present location of this stone may be accessed via the National Monuments Service Historic Environment viewer on www.archaeology.ie.