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CIIC 70. Ahalisky II, Co. Cork

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© 2016-05-12

National Monuments Service Record Number: CO122-049004-

Site Type

Souterrain

Description

Site

The souterrain (CO122-049002-) is located in the northern half of one (CO122-049001-) of six known ringforts in the townland, at least three of which contain souterrains. Brash (1879, 145-8) describes earth-cut chambers and passages with a stone-built entrance passage (L 3.9m; W 1.2m; max. H 1m) roofed with seven lintels. Ogham inscriptions were found on two lintels and a support stone near the entrance.

Monument

1 of 3 Ogam stones re-used in the construction of a souterrain - 'the seventh roofing-slab in the cave' counting from the entrance. Coarse grained clay-slate, 1.52m x 0.64m x 0.22m (converted from Macalister 1945, 73).

Text

'The letters are cut on a very obtuse angle, in the middle of one of the broad faces of the slab; not on an edge, except the last few letters, which run along the edge of the top, and are there not easy to decipher. The line of writing is not continuous; the beginning of the word MAQI is above and overlapping the end of the preceeding name' (Macalister 1945, 73-4). Macalister adds that 'the edge next to the dexter side of the inscription shews unmistakable traces of artificial flaking, alomost certainly inflicted to remove an earlier inscription'

Transliteration

CUNAGUSOS MAQI MUCOI VIRA/GNI

Translation

'of Congus son of the descendant of Ferán/Fírán?'

Commentary

  • This is one of the inscriptions listed by McManus (1991, 93-4) to be among the earliest in the corpus showing no trace of vowel affection. It may be dated to the first half, or the early second half, of the fifth century (McManus 1991, 97).

  • CUNAGUS(S)OS '(he who has) the strength of a wolf/hound', a compound of CUNO- (OIr. ) and GUSSU- (OIr. gus) (McManus1991, 106). This name also occurs in CIIC 107 Glenaglogh, Co. Cork.

  • VIRAGNI is an otherwise unattested name, the result of which would be *Ferán? (if from fer 'man') or *Fírán? (if from fír 'true') (McManus1991, 107).

Locations

Found

One of seven lintels in a souterrain in the townland of Ahalisky, barony of East Carbery. The original location of this stone may be accessed via the National Monuments Service Historic Environment viewer on www.archaeology.ie. (GPS coordinates -8.847020, 51.681206)

Original

Unknown

Last recorded

National Museum of Ireland (NMI Ref. 1927:2), Dublin. The present location of this stone may be accessed via the National Monuments Service Historic Environment viewer on www.archaeology.ie. (GPS coordinates -6.254558,53.340408)

History of Recording

Discovered in 1841 by Zachariah Hawkes of Monees and (J.) Windele (Brash 1879, 145). All three stones were 'taken out of the cave sometime toward the end of the nineteenth century, by the proprietor, the late Mr. R. Bence Jones, and placed on a rockery in his garden: but afterwards acquired from him by the Royal Irish Academy' (Macalister 1945, 73).

References

Websites and Online Databases

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