Cuchulainn's stone

View of Cuchulainn's stone from roadside. The stone is located at Knockbridge, Co. Louth.

Aisti ar litridheacht Ghréigise is Laidne01

Title page of 'Aisti ar litridheacht Ghréigise is Laidne' showing title, author and publisher.

James Barry: Dublin City Libraries staff member and singer of the Molly Malone song on this website.

James Barry: Dublin City Libraries staff member and singer of the Molly Malone song on this website.

By kind permission of James Barry

Ogam Writing in Cork

Ogam writing is an ancient form of script which was used in the 3rd, 4th and 5th centuries. It was found on tall standing pillar stones dotted around the country, and is seen to be a series of lines and etches scratched into the side corner of the tall stones. The script came to be recognised after it had been referred to in various manuscripts, most notably in the Tain Bó Chuailgne, a piece of literature which was found in the ancient manuscript, the Book of Leinster. Ogam stones were usually found over graves or tombs of great men. They are also believed to have been used as territorial boundary markers, in case of disputes arising. This particular stone is inscribed with the name, Fiachra, son of Glunlegget and was found at Monataggart in Co. Cork. Ref: pg 154, Wakeman’s Handbook of Irish Antiquities 3rd Edition by John Cooke M.A., Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, & Co., Ltd. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street, 1903.

Aibítir Ogham

Ogam writing is an ancient form of script which was used in the 3rd, 4th and 5th centuries. It was found on tall standing pillar stones dotted around the country, and is seen to be a series of lines and etches scratched into the corner of the tall stones. The script came to be recognised after it had been referred to in various manuscripts, most notably in the Tain Bó Chuailgne, a piece of literature which was found in the ancient manuscript, the Book of Leinster. From notes found in the marginalia of these manuscripts, scholars were able to decipher an alphabet of the ogam language. The alphabet is made up of a series of sounds made from running a few letters together (in the English language). Ref: pg 153, Wakeman’s Handbook of Irish Antiquities 3rd Edition by John Cooke M.A., Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, & Co., Ltd. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street, 1

Carolan's Harp, Clonalis House, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon

This is a photograph of Carolan's harp which is in Clonalis House in Castlerea in county Roscommon. Many felt that Carolan's late start in learning the harp meant he never mastered the instrument thoroughly. However, his compositions and verse accompaniments and his ability to entertain made him very popular.

Courtesy of Fáilte Ireland photographic section

Anglo-Irish groat 1534

This is an Anglo-Irish groat coin dated 1534. It shows a crowned harp.

Courtesy of Merlin/Wolfhound Press

13th Annual O Carolan Harp and Cultural and Heritage Festival 2000

The festival programme for 2000 listed all the events planned for the Festival weekend. Photographs from the previous year's festival were included. Extracts from the annual lecture were also included. In 2000 the lecture was called From the Fair of Tailteann to Ráth Cairn: A Thousand Years of Poetry in Meath.

Courtesy of Nobber Harp Festival Committee