I CD ?CD CD CO IHlJHHBI OF THK BY /O /<$.... CJ OGHAM INSCRIPTIONS IN IRELAND, WALES, AND SCOTLAND OGHAM INSCRIPTIONS IN IRELAND, WALES, AND SCOTLAND OGHAM INSCRIPTIONS IN IRELAND, WALES, AND SCOTLAND M&' BY THE LATE SIR SAMUEL FERGUSON PRKS1DENT OF THE ROYAL IRISH ACAPKHY; DKl'UTY KKEPF.R OF THE RECOKDSOF IUELAND; LL.D. L>LBLIN AND KDhNBUKGH; ETC., fcTC. EDINBURGH: DAVID DOUGLAS 1887 PB PRINTED BY PETER ROE, MABBOT-STREET, DUBLIN PREFACE. IN the autumn of 1884, Sir Samuel Ferguson, President of the Royal Irish Academy, delivered in Edinburgh the Rhind Lectures on Archaeology, and at the request of the committee " he selected for his subject Ogham Inscriptions." He had for many years taken a keen interest in this form of writing, which consists of notches of various lengths cut on the edge or arris of suitable stones, generally unhewn, and frequently standTng~pillars of striking dimensions. These are found uT certain districts of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, including the islands of Orkney and Shetland, and iif a few instances in south- western England, and in the Isle of Man. The Ogham boars a certain resemblance to the" Scandinavian Rune. Both seem designedly obscure, although in ancient Irish manuscripts a key to the interpretation of Ogham is given. In some cases, as in South Wales for instance, epigraphs in Roman characters - occupy the face of the stone, while Ogham-writing on the edges has been found to contain an echo of the same. It will readily be understood that the value of these bi-tingual examples, as a test of correct rendering of the Ogham, is very great. The stones are generally to be met with in remote and un- cultivated districts, not unfrequently in disused churchyard^ reserved for the burial of unbaptized children and suicides./' On land more valuable for agriculture they have been broken up, or removed for safety to the vicinity of the nearest church, or set up in private demesnes. In Ireland many of these in- scribed stones are found on the summits of lofty mountains or on moors abound on the lonely ; they rugged storm-swept promontories which, on the 'south and west of the island, are washed by the Atlantic. Again, others are found on the ele- vated tracts of comparatively barren land which form the VI PREFACE. water-sheds of the Southern rivers and divide their basins, notably those of the Blackwater, Lee, and Bandon. For many years it had been the habit of Sir Samuel Ferguson to spend his summer holiday in visiting these monu- ments. His time and energies for the rest of the year were devoted to his professional or official duties, but his annual vacation was consecrated to the pursuit of poetry, literature, or antiquities. The sedentary life of the city was then laid aside, and the long summer days were passed driving about the country, in search of these and kindred objects of interest. The rough accommodation and honiely fare which these excursions often entailed, were not without their attraction for him his nature was in intercourse ; genial happy simple with his fellow-man, while the varied beauties of the external world ever gave to him deep and keen delight. Year after year every nook and corner of Ireland and Wales was thus explored. In his earlier expeditions, Sir Samuel had to content him- self with rubbings and careful copies of the Ogham inscrip- tions, which were afterwards carried home and studied at leisure but in these there were elements of ; uncertainty and error which made them far from satisfactory. On more than one occasion, finding the reading doubtful, Sir Samuel has taken the night train and started off from his home to the distant spot where the stone was to be found, in order to verify a single letter. Later he adopted a method of making paper casts, which obviated these uncertainties, and Secured an entirely accurate facsimile of the stone with all its markings. The process is simple, and may be described for the benefit of others. The stone to be operated upon is first cleared of lichen and washed clean with water. Then a sheet of unsized paper (good thick blotting paper leaves nothing to be desired) is laid over the inscription, and slightly moistened with a sponge. A soft brush an old hat brush is best is then applied to the paper. It is patted gently till it sinks into every crevice and marking of the stone. Should the indentation be so deep as to break the surface of the paper, a fragment suit- able in size must be torn off a fresh sheet, freed from any margin, applied to the broken surface, wetted, and duly PREFACE. Vll patted with the brush until it becomes amalgamated with the pulp-like paper. Then a coat of paste must be lightly brushed over the entire surface of the paper covering the inscription, a second sheet of blotting paper laid on, and the process of slightly moistening and patting repeated. This must be per- as far as to the stone hence the mitted, practicable, dry upon ; advisability of making the paper as little moist as possible. This cast, when dry, becomes as firm as cardboard, and can be easily lifted and removed. It retains every marking in intaglio and in relief, according as it is studied from the inside or the outside. One day typical of many others at the close of a holiday spent by Sir Samuel Ferguson and his wife in exploring the antiquities of Kerry, Dunmore Head was visited. This is a noble mountain on the extreme western verge of the island, which, as well as its neighbour mountain, Brandon Head, bears on its summit a fine Ogham-inscribed pillar stone. A long drive from Dingle brought the little party to the base of the moun- tain. Here they dismounted and ascended on foot, while the driver led the horse over the grassy slopes as far as it was possible for a vehicle to travel. At the homestead of a farmer on the mountain side, a halt was called. With kindly grace both horse and man were here made welcome to a rest, while the sons of the house shouldered the box which contained the preparations for cast-taking, and led the way up the steep precipitous path, over crags and boulders, until the summit was gained. The prospect which lay before the eye was of a beauty never to be forgotten. The Blasket Islands lay below, fringed with the white foam of Atlantic waves the broad, boundless, heaving floor of ocean stretching beyond, un- broken by any land nearer than America. On one of the bold headlands of the Dingle Peninsula, not far distant, stood Smerwick Fort, where the hapless Spanish garrison, hemmed in by the overwhelming forces of Queen Elizabeth's Deputy, Lord Grey,* was obliged to capitulate, in the summer of 1580, only to meet in cold blood their wretched fate. Looking inland from Dunmore lay the picturesque region of * Amoncrst Lord Grey's troops were many names dear to fame Sir Walter Raleigh, K'liinind Spenser, &c. Vlll PREFACE. Corkaguiny, studded with those mysterious monuments of a remote past which had attracted Sir Samuel Ferguson hither, and amongst which he had spent some previous weeks.* After some diligent work a fine cast of the pillar-stone on Dunmore Head was taken, but before it was yet dry enough to remove, a furious gale arose, accompanied by torrents of rain. The stone was quickly enveloped in waterproof and great coat, whilst their owners, denuded of them, and regardless of the storm, stood close, so as still further to protect the precious cast. By and by the storm abated, but not until the day was already far spent, and the deepening shadows threatened to benight the party in their dangerous position on the wild mountain. Cautiously the cast was loosened the protecting waterproof still held over it, but it was moist and pulpy. At last, at the most critical moment, when about to be trans- ferred to the box, a sudden gust of wind got under, and in an instant it was carried aloft. The toilers stood dismayed, watching its gyrations in upper air until the precious thing, torn to pieces, was whirled into the Atlantic ! Weary, wet, and disappointed, they descended the mountain to the house, horse here the travellers where and car were waiting ; found a hospitable meal of tea and eggs prepared, for which their hosts would receive no warmed and fed kindly payment ; they continued their way, returning on the following day, when, under bright sun and fair sides, a wholly successful cast of the stone was made, and carried off in safety. The spoils of a summer holiday were the material for a winter's work. During the last months of Sir Samuel's life, when health had given way, and he was no longer able to move about as of old, he would have the casts brought to his bedside, and with feeble hands he would turn and examine them, and endeaveur to unravel their true significance. As long as he could hold a pen, he continued to add to and correct the proofs of these Lectures. Those on Irish Oghams were revised by him, but the chapters 011 Welsh and Scottish inscribed-stones had not been fully annotated when he died. * This group contains the singular Christian edifice of Gallerus. Also a beautiful church probably erected in the twelfth century, containing exquisite decorative orna- ment. This ruined church of Kilrnalkedar is a fine example of the Irish Romanesque.