This and six other stones {198-203} were discovered in 1838 (thus Macalister, CIIC I, 191 in accordance with Brash, OIM, 231) acting as lintels of a souterrain, the so called "cave of Dunloe", situated "in the demense [!] of Dunloe Castle" (J. Graves, JRSAI 16, 1884, 312). According to Brash (OIM), the site was first visited by "Mr. Abell, of Cork" who "on that occasion took copies of such of the inscriptions as were then accessible". After that, is was inspected by J. Windele "and a party of antiquaries from Cork"; Brash himself saw the spot in the autumn of 1869.
The site was visited on (Sept.?) 15, 1884 by the members of the RSAI under the guidance of A. Hill (cf. the report by J. Graves, JRSAI 16, 1884, 312 sq., according to which the "accidental discovery" of the cave took place in 1836). The group could not enter the souterrain to "read those portions of the Oghams on the upper edges of the stones which form the roof, and which have never yet been published". A sketch of the arrangement of the lintel stones was produced, however, after the "careful measurement by Mr. Ringrose Atkins", at that time.
J. Rhßs must also have visited the "Dunloe cave stones" by 1884; cf. JRSAI 16, 1884, 314. According to him, several of them "were in such positions that I could not read them entirely".
The stones have meanwhile (when? at least before CIIC was published, cf. {241}) been arranged in a small enclosure near the entrance to the Gap of Dunloe, together with the stone from Kilbonane {241}.

According to Brash, OIM 232, the present stone was "the front slab or lintel immediately over the entrance".

Size according to Brash, OIM 232: 9' x 1'7" x 8 1/2"
Size according to Macalister, CIIC: 6'10" x 1'6" x 0'8"

Published illustrations:

Of the souterrain:

Brash, OIM, pl. XXXII (plan)

R. Atkins apud J. Graves, JRSAI 16, 1884, 313
(sketch of original positions of lintels)

Of the stone:

Macalister, CIIC 1, 192 (draft).

Published photographs:

McManus, Guide, envelope.

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Reading Brash, OIM 232:

ìåãðãïâîíåäïäîìãåäíãåäîìâõåä
DEGOMAQIMUCOITOICAEýAI
This "was a noble pillar stone when erect". - Two of the names are "familiar": "Dego, found also on the pillar at St. Olan's well {122: Mount Rivers}, and also on one of the upright pillars in the Rath cave at Drumloghan {281}. Toic or Toica must be a proper name, following "the designation or title Mucoi". The "cross character" is problematical if it represents the diphthong EA because of its being used here "with a vowel before and after it". The name Toica can be identified with `Toca son of Aedh, son of Senach' in Annals Four Masters (AD 472); besides "we have" Toicteach, AD 808, and Tocha twice in the Mart.Don. Cp. the "Gaulish forms, Tocca .. Momms. 130 ... Stein. 12. Toccae .. Orel. 326.

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Reading Ferguson, OI 107 (178.):

Dego maqi mocoi toicathi
The õ character in the given context "rejects the ea value, and, with the p value, yields a vocabel so odd as a proper name, toicap, that one is disposed to look with favour on the suggestion of a third value dh, which I would venture to extend to th".

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Reading Macalister, JRSAI 27, 1897, 227 (using "latest copies"):

DEGO MAQI MOCOI TOICAKI
"DEGOS lost its S in the genitive later than some other names, as is shown by Drumloghan X" {281} reading "DEAGOS MAQI MUCOI ... ENIA (for ... ENAIS)" [227, n. 1]. - "There is nothing in these inscriptions to prevent our translating MOCO as `descendant'".

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Reading Macalister, Epig. 2, 89 (88. / I.):

ìåãðãïâîíåäïãîìãåäíãåäîìâõåä
DEGOMAQIMOCOITOICAKI
"As I have not seen the hidden faces I cannot vouch from personal examination for those portions not visible inside the cave". Instead of mocoi, "the older copyists" read mucoi. õ has the "consonant value"; the "tribal name" Toicaci appears on two other stones too. The hypothesis that this name was originally Toicap-, "Goidelised into Toicac-, cannot be upheld because we would have to expect Toicaq-. Moreover, the original form should appear as such "on the oldest stones". This is the latest of the "three Coolnagort monuments bearing the names" because of the form Dego having no final sibilant as against an inscription in Drumloghan reading Digos .. {281} "showing that Dego- actually retained the s in the genitive longer than some other names". - The cross "has been explained by Bishop [Ch.] Graves as consecrating not the stone but the souterrain .. The dictum of the older writers, that crosses are never found on Ogham stones built into souterrains is .. undisturbed by the present example".

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Reading Macalister, CIIC:

DEGOS MAQI MOCOI TOICAKI
"The S at the end of the first word is evidently an omission subsequently rectified. It has been overlooked in previous publications."

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Interpretation Korolev, DP 83:

DEGOS MAQI MOCOI TOICAKI
The presence of mucoi and the K letter indicate a comparatively late date. It is esp. remarkable that the final S of the first name was added after the whole inscription had been completed. This can be explained by assuming that the engraver, copying the inscription from a wooden model, first omitted the S in accordance with the "colloquial" pronunciation and had to add it later after reexamination of his more "archaic" model. We have to assume therefore that the inscription was written at a time when the final S had already disappeared; the persisting -I in the last name is a mere traditional one. Like this, the inscription can be dated into the 1st half of the 6th cent.

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Reading McManus, Guide 65:

DEGOS MAQI MOCOI TOICAKI
"S added later."

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Reading Gippert (1981):

Dexter angle up:
DEGO©Sª MAQI MOCOI TOICAKI
ìåãðã©êèªïâîíåäïãîìãåäíãåäîìâõåä
ëëââââïïââ©ççççªïââââëëëëëâââââïââëëëëââæâââââëëëââæâââââëëëëâõâââââ
The S was obviously added later, not on the angle but on the frontal surface at the position of O followed by M. It is not clear at all whether it was added by the engraver or, rather, by a later, even modern, "corrector"; cp. Macalister's statement that it was "overlooked in previous publications".

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Additional literature:

J. Windele, "Notices of Cork and Killarney", 346-347.

JRSAI 8, 1866, 523: G.M. Atkinson (= JRHAAI, vol. 5)

JRSAI 16, 1884, 313: J. Graves (= ser. IV, vol. IV)

JRSAI 17, 1886, 605: Ch. Graves (= ser. IV, vol. VII)

JRSAI 21, 1891, 612 and 665: Ch. Graves (= ser. V, vol. II)

JRSAI 22, 1892, 166: J.R. Allen

AC 49 (?): J.R. Allen (= AC Ser. V Vol. IX, p. 51??)

Last changes of this record: 27.04.97

Copyright Jost Gippert, Frankfurt a/M 1996. No parts of this document may be republished in any form without prior permission by the copyright holder.