174 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



are ignorant of the archaic forms of language in which they are in- 

 scribed. Far better to acknowledge that ignorance, than by weak 

 and spurious translations to throw discredit upon the study of an 

 important branch of our national antiquities. 



The circumstances under which this stone was discovered are very 

 curious. The spot where it was found is in a corner of a field that 

 has a quick slope downwards. In tilling the ground the plough had 

 frequently struck against a stone or flag, and the farmer, anxious to 

 remove the impediment, directed his men to raise the obstacle and 

 remove it. On attempting to do so, they found that it covered a 

 hollow chamber, and the idea of a buried treasure immediately suggested 

 itself to the workmen, who forthwith commenced to excavate it. 

 They found it to be, as they explained to me, like a stone-box, about 

 5ft. long by 3 ft. 6 in. wide, and 3 ft. deep, formed by two stones at 

 each side and one at each end. It was covered by two broad flags and 

 a narrow one at the end. The narrow one was the Ohgam-inscribed 

 Stone and the other two were flat flags about 2 ft. to 2 ft. 4 in. wide 

 and 5-^ ft. long. Some of the flags are still on the bank in the rubbish, 

 others were taken away and broken up. Mr. Cogan, who was present 

 at the eveavation, stated, that the chamber was nearly full of fine 

 earth ; that when they had cleared this out, near the bottom, they 

 found a quantity of black earth and charcoal, and some pieces of 

 "crockery," which were thrown into the rubbish and could not be 

 found. I was particular in questioning him about the presence of the 

 charcoal, upon which point he was positive. A young man who was 

 present, and who had been also one of the diggers, corroborated the 

 finding of the rich black earth and charcoal. 



I saw the remains of the chamber, which is still open. Two of 

 the large flags were in situ, one on each side. The dimensions of it 

 were about what I have stated above. It is situated upon rather an 

 abrupt slope, but close to the top of the hill. There are evident 

 remains of a tumulus around it. 



That this was a sepulchral cist there can be no doubt, for its 

 construction, dimensions, and the finding of the black earth and 

 charcoal are sufficient evidence. Whether the pieces of crockery were 

 portions of a mortuary urn or not, I am unable to determine, as I 

 have not seen them ; but the fact of their being found in the body of 

 the cist would lead to the inference that they were. 



The question here arises, had the inscription on the monument I 

 have described any reference to the interment in the chamber of which 

 it was a covering stone ? I should say not : the other two flags were 

 broad and flat, and not exceeding 5^ ft. in length ; this is 8-^-ft. in 

 length, and an ungainly stone for such an object, If it had been 

 intended to complete the covering of the cist with a stone upon which 

 a legend was to be cut, referring to the interment, a handier and 

 more suitable one would have been provided ; whereas this must have 

 been a Dalian or pillar-stone standing in some convenient situation, 

 and which, suiting the moment's need, was removed, and used in the 



