Tullygarran ogham stones facts for kids

The Tullygarran ogham stones are two special ancient stones found in County Kerry, Ireland. They are a type of National Monument, which means they are protected because they are very important to Ireland's history. These stones have a unique ancient Irish writing system called ogham carved into them.

Where to Find the Stones

The Tullygarran Ogham Stones are located about 4.2 kilometers (or 2.6 miles) east of Tralee. They are close to a place called Chute Hall.

How the Stones Were Found

These amazing stones were discovered in 1848. A big storm hit the area and uncovered an old burial ground. This ancient site was located overlooking Smerwick Bay. After they were found, a person named Dayrolles Eveleigh-de-Moleyns, who was the 4th Baron Ventry, moved them. He took them to his home at Chute Hall to keep them safe.

What the Stones Look Like

The Tullygarran ogham stones are tall, upright stones with special carvings. These carvings are a very old form of writing used in Ireland, called Ogham. Ogham writing uses lines and notches carved along the edge of a stone. It's like an ancient alphabet!

Here's what each stone says:

• Stone 1: This stone is about 0.96 meters (or 3 feet 2 inches) tall. The Ogham writing on it reads "LUBBAIS MAQQI DUN....S". This means "of Lubbais son of Dun...s".
• Stone 2: This stone is a bit taller, standing about 1.02 meters (or 3 feet 4 inches) high. The Ogham inscription on this stone says "CCICAMINI MAQQ(I) C(A)TTINI". This translates to "of Cíchmuine son of Caitne".

These inscriptions give us clues about people who lived in Ireland many centuries ago. They help historians learn about ancient names and families.