ICLTA/4

Corpus Refs:Macalister/1949:891
Okasha/Forsyth/2001:Inishcaltra 4
Site:ICLTA
Discovery:first mentioned, 1879 Deane, T.N.
History:Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 58: `The stone was first recorded by Deane in 1880 when it was lying in the graveyard, presumably in situ, in the middle of a row at its western edge, near the chancel of St Caimin's church ... In 1916-17 Macalister reported the stone as still in the location described by Deane. ... It was subsequently moved and in August 1982 was exhibited at Mountshannon, Co Clare, when the exhibition ended, the stone was placed for safe-keeping in the Duchás depot in Athenry'.
Geology:
Dimensions:1.6 x 0.59 x 0.06 (Okasha/Forsyth/2001)
Setting:in ground
Location:earliest
Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 58: `This stone is in the Duchás depot at Athenry'.
Form:body-slab
Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 58: `The stone is a large recumbent cross-slab'.
Condition:complete , good
Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 58: `in good condition and is complete'.
Folklore:none
Crosses:1: latin; outline; straight; half-round; circular; none; n/a; other; plain
Decorations:

Macalister/1916, 153: `It bears a Latin cross having a circular expansion at the centre and semicircular expansions at the terminals. The central expansion has a lozenge with four ovals round it, and the lowest terminal expansion has half the same pattern, with the difference that the lozenge is hollowed, whereas the lozenge in the terminal is only outlined. There are the outlines of two shod feet cut on the sinister side of the slab; the right foot above the arm of the cross, the left foot below it. These probably indicate that the person commemorated by the slab died on the island when on pilgrimage; and with this accords the inscription, which commemorates him as a stranger'.

Macalister/1949, 89: `Cross with central circular expansion bearing a lozenge surrounded by ovals, and semicircular expansions at the terminals: lobed ends at the foot. Outlines of two shod feet on the sinister side of the cross, perhaps marking the slab as the grave of one who who had died on pilgrimage on the island'.

Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 59: `The face is dressed and contains a ringed Latin cross in false relief. All four terminals have semi-circular expansions, that of the shaft being internally divided to form two petals. The armpits are curved hollows and there is a four-pointed recess at the centre of the cross. To the right of the cross are incised the outline of two shod foot-prints, facing the top of the slab, the left one in the upper right hand quadrant and the right one in the lower right quadrant'.

References


Inscriptions


ICLTA/4/1     Pictures

Readings

Macalister, R.A.S. (1915):COSCRACH | LAIGNECH
Expansion:
COSCRACH LAIGNECH
Translation:
Cosrach (PN) the Leinsterman.
Macalister/1916 153 reading only
Macalister/1949 89 reading only
Okasha and Forsyth (1996):COSRACH | LAIGNECH
Expansion:
COSCRACH LAIGNECH
Translation:
Cosgrach (PN) the Leinsterman.
Okasha/Forsyth/2001 60 reading only

Notes

Orientation:horizontal
Position:W ; top ; above cross ; undivided
CISP: The inscription is inverted with respect to the cross.
Incision:inc
Date:900 - 999 (Macalister/1916)
Language:Goidelic (rbook)
Ling. Notes:none
Palaeography:Okasha/Forsyth/2001, 59: `The text is legible and uses half-uncial script'.

CISP: The lettering is Insular half-uncial. The As are in the 'OC' form and the S and R are majuscule. The L, I and G on the second line have bifurcated serifs, a feature not found in the first line. The ascenders of the two Hs are very short, leaving little difference between these letters and the N. It appears that the two strokes of the final H were not conjoined.

Legibility:good
Lines:2
Carving errors:0
Doubtful:no

Names

References