Location and history:
For the location and discovery, cf. {148}.
Size according to Brash, OIM 209: 4'6" x 1'3" x 8"
Size according to Macalister, CIIC: 4'2" x 1'3" x 0'8"
Size according to DPAS, no. 792 (1), p. 251: 1.18m x .4m x .22m.
Published illustrations:
- Brash, OIM pl. XXVI, no. 2 (
draft)
- Macalister, CIIC I, 145 (
draft);
- DPAS, 251, pl. 12 (b-w photograph of E angle);
- DPAS, 251, pl. 13 (b-w photograph of W angle).
Reading Brash, OIM 209 (no. 2):
Left angle:
ᚋᚐᚊᚊᚔᚊᚓᚈᚈᚔᚐ
MAQQIQETTIA
Right angle:
ᚋᚐᚊᚊᚔᚉᚒᚏᚔᚈᚈᚔ
MAQQICURITTI
"THE SON OF CUETTI - THE SON OF CURITT"
The stone "appears to commemorate two individuals" (it is also mentioned as "Ballinrannig" in Brash, JRSAI 10, 1869, 260 as commmemorating "more than one individual"; cf. {106}). - The "terminal A" of the first line is omitted by Ferguson; this author further read Cunitti instead of Curitti which might be due to the fact that he read from a cast: "Owing to a fracture of the stone, the angle shifts, and the inscription follows the angle; the cast does not show this divergence". The reading with R is further supported by the names "Ritt and Curitt and Rettos" appearing on other stones. - "The first name probably reads Cetti, as Q is frequently used for C; we find Ceat Mac Magach in the pre-historic period, as Cat" in `Tribes and Customs of Hy. Maine', 83; "Caette and Caetti in Mart.Don. pp. 284, 375. The Catti were a tribe of North Britain". Cf. Ballintaggart no. 3 {157}.
MAQQICUNITTI
MAQQIQITTI
This "follows the example of the Gortnegullanagh example {184}, giving apparently only the patronymics".
Left:
ᚋᚐᚊᚊᚔᚊᚓᚈᚈᚔᚐ
MAQQIQETTIA
Right:
ᚋᚐᚊᚊᚔᚉᚒᚅᚔᚈᚈᚔ
MAQQICUNITTI
"I saw no reason for rejecting the final a of the first line; as for the n in the second, it is certainly not r .. as the B-surface is here very narrow, this letter has been prolonged by carrying it across the adjacent angle." - "A masculine of the feminine *Qettis meets us at Drumconwell (Armagh) {311}, where we have maqi Qetai, which Professor Rhŷs connects with the Middle-Irish Cet." The Q speaks against this name being "the base of Cattini, found in this cemetery" {153}. Cunittos "is a derivative from Cun-, found in its simple form at both Ballinrannig {154} and Ballintaggart {162; both read CUNAMAQQI}; "similar names are Curc-itt- {160: Ballintaggart}, Cass-itt- {81: Garranes}. It is the Middle-Irish Connait."
Up-up:
MAQQI-QETTI MAQQI CUNITTI
"There is a faint, broad, hollow notch after QETTI .., not nearly as deep as the I-notches preceding it. It might be A, but I am inclined to reject it. In the second line, the N looks at first like an R."
MAQQI QETTI MAQQI CUNITTI
The reading is undisputed. The inscription belongs to the early period.
MAqQI QETTIa MAQQI CUNITTI m..
Reading DPAS, no. 792 (1), p. 251 (and OSDP, 8):
(Right angle of the S face:)
MAQI CUNITTI
(Left angle:)
(M)A(Q)QI QETTI(A)
"The M is not now discernible .. The first 2 scores of the first Q have all but disappeared .. After the final I there is a less distinct notch which may represent A".
Reading Gippert (1978/1998):
Dexter angle up || 
sinister angle up:
[M](A)QQI QETTI[A] || MAQQI CU[N]ITTI
[ᚋ](ᚐ)ᚊᚊᚔᚊᚓᚈᚈᚔ[ᚐ] || ᚋᚐᚊᚊᚔᚉᚒᚅᚔᚈᚈᚔ
[ᚋ](ᚐ)ᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚐᚐᚐᚐᚐᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚐᚐᚐᚐᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚐᚐᚐᚐᚐ[ᚐ] || ᚋᚐᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚐᚐᚐᚐᚐᚆᚆᚆᚆᚐᚐᚐ ᚁᚁᚁᚁᚁᚐᚐᚐᚐᚐᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚆᚐᚐᚐᚐᚐ
It cannot be decided with certainty whether the final notch on the dexter angle was intended as a vowel notch, reflecting an A, or not. - The reading of the sinister angle is difficult because the inscribed angle coalesces with the one to its right at the place of the presumed N so that the characters following after the N are arranged relative to the right angle. Like this, the N could be read as a Q instead (but certainly not as a R), in accordance with the T characters following (and note that its fifth score is shorter than the following vowel scores!). In the latter case, the inscription on the sinister angle looks like an attempt of repeating the one of the dexter angle: *MAQQI CU - QITTI; the I in QITTI is certain here, however.
draft
draft
Dexter angle up || 
sinister angle up: