169 



both these lintels may have been monumental pillar-stones, brought not 

 improbably from the adjoining cemetery of Eelig-na-Eee. The inscrip- 

 tion consists of eight characters, two of whch stand somewhat detached, 

 yet seem to require collocation with the others to render an articulate 

 sound. 



Fig. 7. 



' The Key-word Maqj does not exist here to assist us ; but a curved 

 character occurring near the end of the group indicates that it is to be 

 deemed under the stem-line, and that consequently the detached cha- 

 racters above referred to are those from which the reading commences. 

 The writer is not aware of any other example of the curved character in 

 any existing monument ; but it is one of the contractions given in the 

 recognised Ogham keys, having the value of the vowels ui. The last cha- 

 racter to the right is extremely faint, and the writer is unable to say with 

 certainty whether it consists of three or of two indentations. It appeared, 

 however, to the eye and touch rather to consist of three strokes and 

 these below the stem-line ; but as f would not articulate with the 

 next adjoining character (m), and the strokes are short and notch-like, 

 he inclines to suppose it the vowel u, a not unfrequent termination of 

 proper names in Oghamic writing. Taken in this sequence, the legend 

 on this second stone would read 



QEAGT7ISMT7. 



The writer is not aware at present of any corresponding proper name. 

 Names beginning with the same combination are, however, found on 

 some of the inscribed stones in the Academy's collection, as 



QEITTALEGI QRITTTMAH, 



on stone, "No. 5. In the absence of anything more satisfactory we can, 

 therefore, conclude no more from this object, than that Ogham writing 

 was certainly in use prior to the construction of the Cave of Curachain. 



But, as regards the lintel first described, the legend of " Tihe Son of 

 Medf" appears to stand plainly legible, according to the ordinary key, 

 and in the ordinary course of collocation; and, taken in connexion 

 with the place and its traditions, may afford a confirmation of the testi- 

 mony of our old books to the use of alphabetic writing in the Ogham 

 character at a period before the introduction of Christianity. 



