Liagaun

Embedded in the top of a barrow -unclassified (MA093-038002-), on its NE perimeter. The barrow crowns the NE end of a steep-sided ridge, in an area of undulating grassland. The location provides panoramic views, stretching to the far horizon in all directions, with Croagh Patrick visible in the distance to W, and Nephin Mountain to NW. At the base of the ridge, c. 150m to SE, there is natural depression of boggy, rush-grown ground, shown on the 1916 OS 6-inch map as a pool or small lake (max. dim. c. 100m) named ‘Loughsheebaun’. A ringbarrow (MA093-096----), now levelled, is located on an adjacent ridge top c. 200m to NNE. The barrow (MA093-038002-) consists of a low, circular earthen mound or platform (diam. 10m N−S; 10.6m E−W), with a well-defined perimeter scarp (H 0.6m). The top surface of the platform has a flattish perimeter rim (Wth 2-2.5m) grading seamlessly into a central, shallow hollow (diam. c. 2m; D c. 0.2-0.3m), which may not be an original feature of the barrow. The base of the ogham stone (MA093-038001-) is embedded in the top of the barrow on outer NE edge of the central hollow. The ogham stones consists of a massive block of stone (L 1.8m E−W; Wth 0.57-0.6m N−S; T 0.35m), which has a rectangular cross-section, straight sides which taper at the top to form an asymmetrical triangular peak, and an ogham inscription on the angles of the top and both sides of the E (or uppermost) face. The stone formerly stood upright, with its long axis aligned NNW−SSE, but when first recorded in 1898 it was already tilting to the W at an angle of 75 degrees, with ‘the apex at a height of five feet [1.5m] from the ground level.’ (Cochrane 1898, 401). Incremental tilting to the W has continued, to the extent that the stone is now almost prostrate; the base remains embedded in the top of the NE perimeter of the barrow, with apex/top now tilted to a height of 0.43m above the surface of the shallow, central hollow of the barrow. The ogham inscription is, therefore, on what now presents as the uppermost surface of the stone, formerly the E face when the stone was vertical. This face of the stone has a rather rough and weathered surface, with several irregularities and areas of possible flaking or chipping, particularly toward the apex/west end of the stone. The surface is moderately blotched with lichen. The lines and notches are, in general, sharply delineated, up to 1cm in width, with the lines measuring up to 10-12cm in length, but some variation is evident in the thickness and spacing of the scores. The scores on the narrow N and S sides of the stones appear somewhat better preserved than some of those on the more weathered broad face. (Jane O'Shaughnessy, field report) Macalister (1945, 5, no. 3) noted that although this inscription is 'injured by wear and chipping', the reading is 'certain': CUNALEGI AVI QUNACANOS.