Greek Inscriptions in Ireland Part II:: An Introduction to Greek Epigraphy in Ireland and the Greek Inscriptions at University College, Dublin

This paper is one of a series of four articles accounting for the ancient Greek inscriptions currently held on the island of Ireland. First, it analyses the habits of modern travellers and scholars with links to Ireland who demonstrated an interest in ancient Greek inscriptions. Second, it offers new editions of the ancient Greek inscriptions on stone at University College, Dublin, which were previously at Shanganagh Castle in the collection made by Sir George Cockburn (1763-1847) acquired possibly by his son-in-law W.G. Hamilton. Five of these inscriptions (nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) appear to derive from a family funerary peribolos of Askalontines possibly on the island of Rheneia, which was also the possible provenance of an uninscribed monument (see Appendix). The collection includes an arch stele possibly also from Rheneia (no. 6), another Greek stele of unknown origin <br/>(no. 7), two funerary plaques from Rome (nos. 8 and 9) and a previously-unpublished stele with indecipherable inscription (no. 10). Further points of interest include: the metronymic designation of the deceased in no. 5; the traces of paint within the letters of nos. 4, 6, 8 and 9; the invocation of the underworld deities in nos. 8 and 9; the orthography of no. 7; and the indication that no. 9 is re-used from a fluted column.