352 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Acdaemy . 



II. By the Eev. Daniel H. Hatgh, D. D., Erdington. 



Mr. Haigh observes : — There are clearly but two ways of reading 

 the legend : — 



-n • • ( poinetat Trenalueos. 



Uroimenas < l . , m , , ^ 



( pometa Itrenalugos. 



I should like to see the Broinionas legend, before I say my thought 

 about the first word ; and with regard to the second, I would remark 

 that the alien words, naturalized in the Irish language, must not be all 

 regarded as of Latin origin, but may be partly Greek. Thus treo- 

 datu is nearer of kin to triads than to trinitat-s. Greek-speaking 

 missionaries brought Christianity first to Britain ; and, from Britain 

 either they or their disciples carried it over to Ireland. Under the 

 auspices of these, some Greek words would be naturalized in Britain, 

 and in Ireland. Later, the Latin speakers, Palladius and Patricius, 

 would introduce some Latin words. Now the word poineta or poine- 

 tat is strikingly like with iroivrjTrjs, on the one hand, and pcenit-ent-s on 

 the other. But then you say that you have seen a cast of an inscription 

 in which poi is manifestly a distinct word ; and from this, poi-neta 

 might be a derivation (diminution or otherwise). Thus I could 

 attach myself to your theory, that poi-net-at is a derivation from the 

 Latin, the Irish at representing its Latin equivalent ent, and so that 



this legend commemorates, ' penitent Trenalugos ; ' but with 



reserves. 



Of the thousands of Christian epitaphs which remain from the pri- 

 mitive times, there is not one which names any one of these classes, 

 and I cannot recognise your glunlegget as belonging to the third. Like 

 all the other glum we know, I should fancy this was a soubriquet be- 

 stowed on Mochoi, descriptive of some peculiarity in his knees ; though 

 it might be that he was a man of much prayer, and therefore so dis- 

 tinguished. 



So, if the other stone really commemorates a ' penitent,' I should 

 regard him as one who retired from the world to spend his days in 

 voluntary penitence ; and though I think the writing and the lan- 

 guage concur to suggest a considerable interval between the monu- 

 ments, I cannot help remarking the fact that memorials (possibly) 

 of a 'penitent,' and of a 'knceler' should be found together. "We 

 have several instances of places occupied during centuries by several 

 hermits in succession, and Monataggart may have been such. What 

 means the name ? 



I have not materials sufficient for the mucoi question. A 'Corpus 

 Insoriptionum Oghaniicarum,' whenever published, may tempt me to 

 begin. 



