The Passage of Stones at University College Cork is exactly what it says on the tin, a passage of … stones! Ogham stones to be exact.

Third Ballyknock series of stones

Somewhere this says Brocc – Irish word for badger…

The name Cunagussos (Congus) meaning strength of a hound.

May say Carthach, early form of McCarthy

Ogham (I’ve always pronounced it oh-am, but on double-checking also got oh-gam and ah-gam) is an old form of writing in Irish, carved into stones and used in some manuscripts. Earliest examples are 4th century but it was still used in the 9th. The inscriptions on the stones are usually family names. If you click on last three photos there is a translation below.

Links to information on ogham: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogham   and http://www.omniglot.com/writing/ogham.htm

Seems there are a couple of good ogham stones lurking in fields in Wicklow.  Any other stone-seekers out there? Any tips for good ones to watch out for? We’re not fussy – any ancient stones will do!  Standing stones, stone circles, cairns, portal graves, celtic crosses, Síle na gig…