Dunloe Ogham Stones
Ogham Stones that were also once used to construct a medieval souterrain roof
Unguided sitesDunloe Ogham Stones
Ogham Stones that were also once used to construct a medieval souterrain roof
Unguided sitesFógra
WARNING: It should be noted that these sites are unguided and a level of care and caution should be maintained during all stages of your visit. The Office Of Public Works (OPW) will not be held responsible for any damages, injuries, or losses that occur
Dunloe Ogham Stones
The Dunloe Ogham Stones are a group of eight ogham stones now located at Coolmagort, 1km south of the town of Beaufort in County Kerry. Seven of the stones were discovered in 1838 at Coolmagort where, decades or centuries after they were carved, they had been re-used as lintels to construct a stone roof for an early medieval souterrain. (Souterrains are underground passages constructed in the early medieval period for use as cellars for food storage, but which may also have doubled as a hidden refuge in times of crisis). The remaining stone, now located at the very left of the arrangement, was discovered in a ruined medieval church site at Kilbolane.
Ogham is an ancient Irish alphabet, and our earliest written source for the Irish language. The ogham alphabet uses a script made of lines cut on, across, or either side of a central 'stem' line. Ogham inscriptions were usually written vertically and are read from bottom to top. Ogham stones appear to have been erected either as memorials or territorial markers and usually record the name of a person with a standard formula such as: “X son of Y, member of the tribe of Z”. Although the alphabet was designed for the Irish language, a few Latin inscriptions in ogham also survive in Ireland. There are about 400 surviving ogham inscriptions. Approximately 350 of these are in Ireland, with the largest number of ogham stones located in counties Cork, Kerry and Waterford. Around 50 ogham inscriptions have been discovered in Britain, with ogham stones located in Wales, Scotland, The Isle of Mann, and in Cornwall and western England.
The inscriptions on the stones (numbered from the left as you enter the enclosure) read as follows:
1 - The Kilbolane stone has three separate inscriptions on it.
(Inscription on left side) NAGỤN[I(?)] M[U(?)]C̣[O(?)] B[AI(?)]D[A]N[I(?)] - “... son of Baidagni”
(Central inscription): NIR[???]MṆ[I]DAGNIESSICONIDDALA/ AMIT BAIDAGNI – “ .... .... .... Baidagni”
(Inscription on right side): B[AID(?)]AGNỊ ṂAQ̣I ADDỊLONA – “Baidagni son of Addilona”
2 - NIỌTTVRẸCC MAQỊ/ ... G̣NỊ - “... of Nad-Froích son of ...”
3 - MAQI-TTAL MAQI VORGOS MA/QI MU/COI TOICAC - " ...of Mac-Táil son of Fuirg descendant of Toicacas ..."
4 - MAQI-RITEAS MAQI MAQI-DDUMILEAS/ MUCOI TOICACI - "... of Mac-Rithe son of Mac-Duimle descendant of Toicacas ..."
5 - DEGO{S} MAQI MOCOI TOICAKI - " ... of Daig son of the descendant of Toicacas"
6 - CUNACENA ... - "of Conchenn"
7 - ... ṂC̣ ... G̣Ẹ?̣ ... / Ṃ[A(?)]Q̣ ... Ḍ/ ... Ẹ?̣ – “ MC ... GE ... son of ... D ... E”
8 - MAQI-DECEDA MAQ̣[I] - "of Mac-Deichet son of ..."
Three of the stones refer to the name Toicacas which may refer to an ancient Irish tribe or clan known as Tóecraighe. The Ogham stones were assembled in their current location in 1945.
Visit Historic Environment Viewer for more information on Dunloe Ogham Stones
Protect our Past - Click here to read about the importance of protecting our country’s unique heritage sites
This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014
