332 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Macalister's reading., and the accompanying names do not admit of identifi- 

 cation. The name Colman or Columbanus, which is undoubtedly Christian 

 in origin, occurs twice ; but both Columb and Colman were very frequent 

 names even before the time of St. Columba. The names Mariani and Sagittari, 

 which occur, are Latin words, but it is by no means certain that they are 

 not also Celtic words. These are the only traces of Christianity that I have 

 been able to find in nearly 300 inscriptions. No known Ogham inscription 

 contains anything expressive of Christian religious sentiment. It seems 

 therefore probable that Ogham epigraphy, while it lasted, remained in pagan 

 hands. Two only of the known oghams contain names belonging to the 

 historical record. One of these is the Breastagh ogham (47), commemorating 

 Eolaing (gen. lulenge) son of Coirpre son of Amolngaid. As this ogham 

 stands in Tirawley (Tir Amolngado), Eolaing was presumably grandson of 

 the king from whom that territory was named, Amolngaid king of Connacht, 

 who died between 440 and 450. His son Coirpre, according to the genealogies 

 (BB 107)315), was ancestor of St. Tigernan.^ In the pedigrees of saints 

 (BB 217/3^29) St. Tigernan is descended from another Coirpre, son of another 

 Amolngaid, of the same generation as king Amolngaid, and related to him. 

 If we add two generations, the death of Eolaing should have occurred early 

 in the sixth century at latest. The late Ogham form maq occurs twice on 

 this monument. 



No. 44 commemorates " the name of Colman Ailither."^ In the saints' 

 pedigrees in the Leabhar Breac, Colman Oilither is son of G-rilline son of 

 Diarmait son of Fergus Cerrbeoil ; and a note is added : " From him is named 

 Boss Oilithir," i.e. Kosscarbery, Co. Cork. The death of Diarmait occurred 

 either in 565 or 572 (he was king of Ireland). His grandson's death should 

 have occurred within the first half of the seventh century. But I cannot 

 find elsewhere Grilline named among the sons of Diarmait, who was a very 

 famous ruler ; nor is it clear why St. Colman Ailither of Boss should have a 

 monument in Corcaguiny. Possibly there was more than one " pilgrim 

 Colman." I find two saints called Colman Imrama, where the epithet has a 

 similar meaning to Ailither ; but I do not know their dates. The forms in this 

 ogham are also of the latest. 



Though I should hesitate to place the date of any known ogham earlier 

 than the fifth century, many inscriptions contain forms which may be quite 

 a century older. There can be no doubt that the recorded forms of early 

 MS. names reach back to the beginning of the seventh century, the time of 



1 Whose reliquary, Mias Tigernain, long preserved in Tirawley, has become the property of a 

 family named Knox. 



- Anm Colombagan (or Colombaagn) Aliltir, with a deleting score drawn through the last 1. 



