Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 



133 



stones, sometimes bearing inscriptions in the Ogham character, as found on monu- 

 ments presumed to be pagan, and in other instances, as at the oratory of Gal- 

 lerus, with an inscription in the Graco-Roman or Byzantine character of the 

 fourth or fifth century, of which the annexed is an accurate copy. 



This inscription is not perfectly legible in all its letters, but is sufficiently so 

 to preserve the name of the ecclesiastic, and reads as follows : 



That is, 



"tie cotum mec . . . met." 



THE STONE OF COLUM SON OF ... MEL.'' 



It is greatly to be regretted that any part of this inscription should be imper- 

 fect, but we have a well-preserved and most interesting example of the whole 

 alphabet of this character on a pillar-stone now used as a grave-stone in the 

 church-yard of Kilmalkedar, about a mile distant from the former, and where 

 there are the remains of a similar oratory. Of this inscription I also annex a copy : 



I should observe that a drawing of this inscription, made by the late Mr. 

 Pelham, and which, he tells us, may be depended upon as a correct copy, has 

 been already published by General Vallancey in the sixth volume of his Collec- 

 tanea, Part I.; and I may add, as a characteristic example of that gentleman's 

 antiquarianism, his observations thereon, which are as follows : 



" There are very evidently two kinds of characters on this stone. One the Ogham, on each side 



