496 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



other hand, the old s ( I-) ) has been retained in preference to the short stroke 

 at the top of the line which represents that letter in the " Scandinavian " 

 alphabet. 



If we again compare the Manx runes, we find that, with one exception, 

 these differ from the Killaloe inscription in the matter of the s. That one 

 exception is the Mal-Lumkun inscription at Kirk Michael,' which is likewise 

 distinguished by certain linguistic peculiarities from the other runes of tlie 

 island. It is not, however, in an alphabet identical with that of the Killaloe 

 stone. Even the s is different, being reversed ( |-l instead of f'| : the Killaloe 

 stone presents the more orthodox form) : and the A, N, and T of the Kirk 

 Michael inscription have the cross strokes on both sides of the line. Of 

 runes from neighbouring countries, perhaps the graffito on the Hunterston 

 Brooch comes nearest, palaeographically, to the stone before us: though to 

 judge from the available illustrations of this inscription (which I have not 

 seen) it is far from clear, and I confess I do not feel much confidence in the 

 published interpretations. 



So far as I can judge, the forms of the letters of the Killaloe inscription 

 link it most closely to a group of inscriptions from the Baltic coast of Southern 

 Sweden. The subject is, however, one of considerable obscurity, and I do not 

 venture to speak with any dogmatism ; I merely record it as the impression 

 I have derived from such comparisons as I have been able to make. 



With regard to the orthography of the inscription, we have to notice the 

 omission, very frequent in Runic inscriptions, of the final ii of the nominative 

 masculine in the name JJurkkim ; and the forms itiSTi and _fiiNA for IIAISTI 

 and J?ANA — to which the Swedish runes also offer analogies. This might 

 suggest inferences as to the original place of origin of the sept to which 

 Thorgrim belonged ; but I would prefer not to commit myself to any theory 

 on this subject, and to await the judgment of others more expert in Eunic 

 palaeography and Scandinavian linguistics. 



The sense of the inscription, finally, is of some historical importance. 

 Thorgrim was undoubtedly of the stock of Pagan Scandinavian settlers; 

 presumably one of the colony established at Limerick, which, as we read in 

 the Annals, so often came up the Shannon even past Killaloe on predatory 

 expeditions to the islands of Loch Derg and even up to Clonmacnois. It is, 

 however, curious to find a memorial of the settlement so far from its base, 

 and this inspires hopes that other inscriptions will liereafter be found nearer 

 to Limerick itself. 



* See Kermode's Maiix Orosses, p. 195. The facsimile.s iu this book make a study of 

 the Manx runes easy. 



