86 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



speculated on the possibility of their being an N, to complete the name 

 OSBBAKEN. This is, however, inadmissible. There is a long distance below the 

 first E, bearing no trace of writing, and no reason why it should resume at the 

 point where this theory requires. I have myself a similar palinode to publish. 

 Beading from Sir Samuel Ferguson's paper squeeze, which I have, I thought 

 I had made out Osbhangomiia : the squeeze had suffered injury, and the 

 apparent extra scores were mere creases in the paper. It is a warning that 

 nothing can be substituted for an inspection of the original monument. 



The inscription is probably very late. I can offer no satisfactory explanation 

 of the name osbbar. 



6. Aghabulloge, Co. Cork. 



This stone is of sandstone, standing 5 feet 2 inches above ground ; the 

 inscription is on the north-eastern angle. I had seen it before, but thought 

 it advisable to examine it afresh, for it seemed to bear a name beginning 

 UDD — , and I hoped that it might help to elucidate the name dddmensa, 

 discussed above. At the bottom the inscription is in perfect order, and the 

 well-cut long scores recall the technique of the Kilmartrann inscription. The 

 last few letters, also, are quite clear. The middle of the inscription is, however, 

 desperate. The stone bears a plain cross of two lines on the h surface. 



Of the beginning of the inscription, anmgokr X maq, there can be no 

 doubt. The X is really two V's, lying on their sides, with a distinct space 

 between the angles, thus, > < : the X letter at the end of the inscription, on 

 the other hand, is formed of crossing lines, like an x. After the Q there 

 follows immediately v . . dd . . . M X tt. The v might be an s — it is treated 

 as s in Bishop Graves' reading of the inscription — but the apparent last 

 score is too indefinite to be taken as an intentional mark ; it contrasts 

 notably with the other three. After the v is a series of vowel-points, that 

 look more like uu than anything else, and as such Brash has read them. 

 There is room for a vowel-point before, and another after, the first of these 

 apparent u's, but I could not feel sure that they were actually there. If they 

 were there, the combination of vowels would become lu. Then come the two 

 d's, certain, though the scores of the first of these letters are damaged by a 

 chip broken from the angle. After these come faint traces which formerly I 

 read ka ; I am nov; inclined to make them glo. The B-surface is here quite 

 worn and broken away, and covered with a thick growth of lichen ; the 

 tops of the scores of the apparent G are visible, and possibly it is not mere 

 imagination that sees traces of the L under the lichen, If this growth 

 could be removed, we might attain a more certain reading of this important 

 inscription. 



