304 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



XLIX. — On an Ogam-inscribed Pillar-stone, at Kilctjeeen, Co. Cork. 

 By Richard B. Brash, M. B. I. A. 



[Eead 30th of November, 1875.] 



The townland of Kilcullen adjoins that of Monataggart — which has 

 furnished materials for so many kindred papers lately read before the 

 Academy — to the N.W., in the parish of Donoughmore [0. S. Map, 

 sheet 61]. On it stands a Keel, or ancient burial-ground, which gives 

 the townland its name (for no church has been known to exist in the 

 locality). I found it situated in a field to the left-hand side of the 

 new road leading from theBogra line to Sheskinny, and nearly 16 miles 

 north-west of Cork. The present remains are on the level top of 

 a field that slopes abruptly upwards from the road. The Keel, is of 

 a rectangular shape, and of large dimensions, lying nearly north 

 and south. The form is irregular, the angles being rounded. It is 

 enclosed by an earthen fence from 3 to 4 feet high on the outside, lined 

 on the external face with field stones. The internal area is higher 

 than the external ground. Mr. Lynch, the proprietor of the lands, 

 who is over 90 years of age, and in the possession of all his faculties, 

 states that there was no change in its appearance since his boyhood, 

 that the place was always called Keel ; that in his time there was no 

 interment there, and that the trees standing in its area were planted by 

 him. 



About 20 yards west of the Keel, and in the same field, is a Leacht, 

 or grave. It is a nearly flat mound of earth and stones, at present 

 about 1^ feet above the level of field, and of a square outline : its 

 dimensions being 12 feet from E. to W. and 11 feet from JN". to S. 

 It appears to have originally had a pillar-stone standing at each corner. 

 Two of these still remain perfect, at the ]S\E. and !N\"W\ angles, and 

 there is the stump of a third at the S.W., which Mr. Charles Lynch, 

 eldest son of the proprietor, informed me was of the same height as the 

 rest, and was broken some years before by one of his workmen with 

 a sledge in a fit of bravado. The shivered stump has the appearance 

 of having been so broken. 



The stone at the IST.W. corner is 7 feet high, aboveground, and 15 

 inches by 10 at base, tapering nearly to a point. That at the N."W\, 

 which is inscribed, is 6 feet 6 inches high above ground, 16 inches 

 by 10 at the base, and 12 inches by 7 at the top. Both are of the old 

 red sand-stone, and are much weather-worn, covered with many- 

 coloured lichen, and have a truly venerable appearance. 



The inscription is on the left angle of the northern face. The 

 angle is much rounded, and disintegrated by the action of the weather, 

 and the legend has consecpuently suffered much ; but, owing to its 

 having been broadly and deeply cut originally, and the clay being un- 

 commonly favourable for the purpose, I was enabled to make a copy 

 which entirely satisfied me. "When copying it, I remarked that by 

 standing about 3 yards distant, in a certain position, I could read the 

 inscription more perfectly than when close to it. 



