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XIX. 



ON" AN OGAM MONUMENT, EECENTLT EOTJND IN COUNTY 

 KERRY. Br THE EIGHT REV. DR. GRAVES, LORD 

 BISHOP OE LIMERICK. 



[Eead February 12, 1894.] 



The Ogam Monument which I am about to describe was discovered in 

 the end of April, 1893, in the townland of Ballinvoher (Barony of 

 Corkaguiny, Co. Kerry, 0. S. Sheet 45), in the neighbourhood of 

 which many other Ogam inscriptions have been found.^ It was visited 

 a few days after by the Rev. Patrick Sweeny, who furnished me with 

 an accurate drawing and a well-made rubbing of the inscription, which 

 is quite perfect. It reads — 



COIMAGNI MAQI riTALrjf. 



No doubt can be entertained as to any of the characters. Dealing 

 with inscriptions which are perfect and complete, we can speak with 

 confidence as to the mode in which they are to be read. The conclu- 

 sions of Ogamists, when they comment on imperfect inscriptions, and 

 are obliged to eke out their readings and explanations of them by 

 means of conjecture, cannot be thoroughly depended upon. They 

 may mislead us by the ingenuity with which they are stated, and 

 thus retard the progress of this branch of epigraphy. 



Besides its perfect legibility, there is yet another reason why this. 

 inscription deserves special notice. It contains a Proper Name which, 

 so far as my knowledge of Ogams extends, is absolutely unique. After 

 receiving the rubbing, I lost no time in trying to find the name 

 EiTAXci in Irish hagiological and historical documents. I looked in 

 vain in the Annals and Martyrologies, and in the different copies of 

 the Sanctilogium Genealogicum. At last, in the treatise De Matrihus 

 Sanctorum Kihernm (ascribed by Colgan and others to JEngus the 

 Culdee), I lighted upon a name, Ficllin, which, as the hard t of the 

 ancient Ogam would be softened into n in the more modern mss., can 

 safely be identified with that which appears in the inscription. This 



^ E.g. those discovered at Ballynahunt, Brackloon, Lougher, Eathduff, Ballia- 

 tarmon. Most of these bear crosses. 



