Currower Ogham Stone

Ogham Stone
Kierandoc, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Dated possibly from the fourth to seventh centuries these inscribed stones were located at various sites near ecclesiastical sites or souterrains throughout Ireland also in counties Cork, Waterford or Kerry where the highest number were recorded.  Ogham stones consist of parallel lines in groups of 1-5 carved on the faces of the stones. They were carved vertically along the natural angle or edge that served as a natural stemline.  The script was written wrapped around the stone it produced a unique three-dimensional aspect.  Several were later moved: discovered near parish or townland boundaries or re-used in souterrains.  [i]

This Currower ogham stone may be clearly viewed from the road at the back of a farmhouse.  The stone is 2.82 metres in height by 1.04 metres in width also approximately  0.25 metres in thickness.  It was believed to have been an earlier megalithic standing stone with the ogham inscriptions added as late as the seventh century.  The inscription reads: MAQ CERAN AVI ATHECETAIMIN.  This stone is on discovery map 24: G 2942 1422.  Coordinates are longitude: 9° 4′ 42″ W, latitude: 54° 4′ 20″ N.  Image features by Jim Dempsey from April 2004.  [ii]

The Currower ogham stone was dated by Zieglar to approximately 500 – 500 AD.  The stone was believed to have been from Bronze Age then adapter later as an inscribed ogham stone.  Inscription read Maq Cearni Avi Athectaimin.  Its height was 2.82 metres, its width 1.04 metres also 0.25 metres in depth.  Coordinates are 54.4 22.55 N, 9 4 37 56 W. [iii]

On 22nd  of February, Mr Cunney, the principal teacher of Currower school, took all the classes, from fifth class, to eighth, to see the stone, He measured it, and, found that it was ten feet high, four feet broad, and a foot thick, approximately. We noticed that the stone is facing directly east and west. We were shown the Ogham writing which is on both edges. It begins five feet from the ground on the western corner of the south side, and six from the ground on the eastern corner of the north side.’ From Duchas school’s collection Corrower  (roll number 14701) written by Miss Maureen Cunney Currower : https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4427971/4362292/4466669?ChapterID=4427971

(Unable to source an actual image of above stone, used stock image instead NBC)

Footnotes

Among various images are Breastagh & Corrower Ogham stones featured at this link: http://www.megalithicireland.com/Ogham%20Stones%20Page%201.htm

The pioneering work during 1945 of R.A.S. Macalister‘s line drawings of the inscribed stones in his ‘Corpus Inscriptionum Insularum Celticarum’ should be applauded.  Works  by Damian McManus professor of Early Irish, Trinity College Dublin on the ogham linguistic aspects  also Fionnbarr Moore senior archaeologist, National Monuments Service on the archaeological perspective of ogham stones are of invaluable interest: https://ogham.celt.dias.ie/menu.php?lang=en

These two sites may be of interest:  https://xyuandbeyond.com/ogham-stones-in-ireland/

/ https://www.museum.ie/getmedia/20be02ca-d1b9-4bf1-9d77-fe203c05eada/Ogham-Code_EDIT-(003).pdf

RTE news feature 8th May 2013 on digitizing ogham stones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlJBcfvoeaY

White Dr. Nora’s Our Ancient Landscapes Ogham Stones in Ireland may be viewed on this site: https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/news/news-features/new-heritage-council-publication-on-ogham

This may be of interest: https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/content/files/archaeological_features_at_risk_2001_4mb.pdf

A video by White Dr. Nora may be viewed on this site: https://ogham.celt.dias.ie/menu.php?lang=en

Images of Currower ogham stone by Tony O ‘Neill from 1st October 2020 featured at this link: https://www.tonyoneill.org/2019/05/04/corrower-ogham-stone/

This link features an image by Charles Coughlin also several other images of ogham stone: https://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/5764/corrower.html

A Facepook page features an image from 5th September 2017 at this link: https://www.facebook.com/192902880757233/posts/corrower-ogham-stone-co-mayo-read-by-macalister-1945-10-as-maq-cerani-avi-athece/1433971236650385/

Footnotes

[i] Ogham Stones (https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/content/files/Ogham-Stones.pdf) [Assessed 25th January 2021]

[ii] Corrower (http://www.megalithicireland.com/Corrower.htm) [Assessed 25th January 2021]

[iii] Currower Ogham Stone (http://www.megalithicmonumentsofireland.com/COUNTIES/MAYO/Corrower_OghamStone.html) [Assessed 25th January 2021]

 

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