Local
Placenames
Sean Mac
People at home and visitors to Ireland are frequently
at the names
amused
of
certain
places
e.g.
placenames.
INTRODUCTION
History holds the explanation as to why the major
ity of placenames in Ireland cannot be immediately
understood nowadays. Celtic peoples expanding their
influence across the continent finally arrived in the
British Isles some time around 500 B.C. and soon after
the Celtic invasion, the language and culture of the
Celts was dominant in these islands. From this period
the Celtic speaking people began to give names to the
various
mountains,
in their
features
physical
hills,
lakes,
new
rivers,
grasslands,
?
environment
bogs,
fords,
swamps, valleys and plains, names which (a) were
connected to characteristics which they identified in
those places (e.g. Lisnacroppin (Lios na genapan] the
fort of the boulders; Knocknamuckly
(Cnoc na Muc
or
hill
of
the
the
Liath)
grey pigs)
(b) which related
to an historical incident which occurred in the place
(e.g. Lisnabrague (Lios na breige] the fort of the lie;
Lissummon (Lios Iomana] the fort of the football) or
(c) which recalled someone who had been associated
with the place (e.g. Tannyoky (Tamhnach Eochaidh]
Eochaidh's grassy upland; Bally macaratty (Baile Mag
Oireachtaigh]
McGarrity's
While
further invasions
Angles,
Saxons
townland).
of England
and Normans
meant
by Romans,
that many
of
the
original Celtic names were substituted by names from
the language of the new inhabitants, the modern
placenames of almost all of Ireland, Scotland and
Wales and a considerable part of England derive from
the
tongue
of
the Celt.
Perhaps,
example of a Celtic placcnamc
Dover
(Dobhar)
pronounced
"door"
meaning
water,
a name
the most
memorable
in England is that of
ot
either M(lo\ci"
which
suits
the coast.il
location of the town ideally. The same woid appeals
in two Donegal towns, Bundoran (Bun Dnbhrriinl and
Gweedore
(Gaoth Dobhair) both of which are again
on
located
a
"....
Tannyoky,
Ballymacaratty, Knocknamuckly, Lisnacroppin etc. but
regrettably their amusement is seldom matched by their
curiosity, for if they were to inquire further, in almost
every case they would discover that the names derive
originally from Gaelic, and that possibly some local
scholar might be knowledgeable
regarding their
meanings. The aim of this brief article is to stimulate
interest in the meanings of placenames in Ireland by
(1) giving a brief introduction to the study and (2) by
illustrating with an attempt to explain a selection of
local
Labhrai
the seaboard.
rose
other
any
by
once
Shakespeare
name
would
wrote
smell
that
just
as
sweet" and while he rightly pointed out that the names
of things and places are arbitrary and could thus be
changed at will without affecting the things or the
places, the great author's love of and fascination with
language must have made him wonder at themeaning
of the title of his place of birth ? Stratford-on-Avon,
the shallow crossing at the river in the glen. The
avon
in the name
element
(Abhainn)
appears
Craigavon (Creag abhann) the rock by the river, and
inAvonmore (Abhainn Mhor) the big river, while the
element Strath or Srath (Srath) is found in the town
of Strabane (An tSraith Ban) the white river-valley
town of Strathclyde
and in the Scottish
(Sraith
the river-valley of the Clyde.
Claidhe)
Hence the naming of almost every place and feature
in the
a
was
landscape
which
process
gradual
evolved
over centuries and which has ultimately given to Ireland
one of the richest and most varied repetoires of
placenames in the world. Indeed as we learn from the
writings of Dr. Robin Flower, former curator of Gaelic
in the British Museum, the acquisition of
manuscripts
of
the meanings of placenames formed a
knowledge
fundamental part of the training of the Irish classical
poets (c. 1200 -1600 A.D.) and itwas this body which
earned for Ireland the second half of the reputation of
"a
being
land
of
saints
and
scholars."
the poets of Ireland cultivated with an
unremitting assiduity a study to which they gave the
name "dindshenchas,"
the lore of the high places, until
"For
by
the accretion
of
centuries
there
came
into existence
a large body of literature in prose and verse, forming
a kind of Dictionary of National Topography, which
fitted the famous sites of the country each with its
appropriate legend. It was one of the obligations of a
poet to have this knowledge ready at call, and if faced
by
a demand
to relate
and
credible
of
the associations
rath or lonely pillar-stone
he was
account,
some
deserted
he failed to render an exact
to the very
shamed
roots
of his being." (The Irish Ttadition
ll)79, 1)
We should not conclude however that the Celts were
the only
civilization
system
loi
inteicstinj'
lestis was
to
in
places
leleience
enieilied,
an
develop
their
habitat
in the Bible
'Golgotha,
which
elaborate
?
we
naming
an
read
to the place
where
means
the place
ol the skull" (Mat. 27:33) thus proving that the Jewish
peoples developed placenames. We also know that it
was
the North
American
Indians
who
gave
the names
to several of the 52 of the United States and toNiagara
16
which
means
"thundering
POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT
waters."
The major problem remains however, that in the last
150 years a majority of the population of Ireland has
changed from speaking Irish to speaking English and
nowadays only a small minority
speak the former
we
no
As
such
longer understand the
language daily.
language of our native placenames which tradition has
handed down to us and we must therefore look to
scholars of Irish to assist us in our understanding of
placenames.
SOURCES
Even before the Gaelic Literary renaissance at the
end of the last century, much important work had been
completed by the likes of John O' Donovan and Eugene
Curry both of whom assisted the Ordinance Survey
which was commenced in 1836. They travelled around
Ireland at a time when Irish was still generally spoken
and gleaned
the
valuable
information
regarding
of placenames from local oral tradition.
meanings
this research was never
however,
Unfortunately
directly published and remains even today in the form
of letters and notes among themanuscripts of the Royal
Irish Academy.
The first major publication on this subject in 1869
The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places
volumes I - III by the Limerick schoolteacher Patrick
Weston
Joyce, remains until today as the major
reference work for students of this field of study.
Volumes I and II deal with the primary elements in
Irish placenames while Volume III is a gazateer of
forms and
placenames with their original Gaelic
translations.
Yet
not
even
as monumental
a work
Lisraw?The
land,
the site
SOCIETY
that of Joyce could hope to provide a comprehensive
and accurate list of all the placenames of Ireland, so
research into this field was commissioned by theDublin
Government
and
ever
since
a team
of
scholars,
whose
headquarters are in the Phoenix Park, are actively
engaged in researching Irish placenames.
In Ulster
the Celtic Department
of Queen's
University has made a major contribution to the study
having had 3 periodicals whose sole concern was with
was
The first of these Dindshenchas
placenames.
succeeded by the Bulletin of the Ulster P/acename
is
Society and since 1986 the current publication
entitled Aimn.
These latter works tend to be geared towards the
academic student however and are therefore not really
suited to the needs of the casual reader for whom Joyce
still has a much more rapid appeal. While Joyce's
original work is long since out of print an abridged
pocket edition is available from the Applet ree Press
since 1984. One work which is to be avoided however
on account of its lack of authority is The Meaning of
Irish Placenames by James O' Connell published by
the Blackstaff Press in 1979. The attempted translations
make no reference to the original Gaelic nor to the
location ol the places mentioned
and
geographic.il
indeed are frequently iar-fetched and erroneous. The
author has voluntecied up to 3,(XX)meanings and given
the
impression
that
tcsc.itch
into placenames
is a simple
and exact discipline, but we will presently discover that
such is far fiom being the truth as the search to unveil
the authentic meanings of Irish placenames is fraught
and dangers.
with many ditliuilttes
as
fort which
now
LOCAL HISTORY
to a town
its name
j\ivc
tower.
of a water
POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY
SOCIETY_17
-
?
1
^
IRISH
|
NAMES
LOCAL
EXPLAINED.
;
t
BY
J
1
P. W.
LL.D.,M.R.LA.
JOYCE,
i
i
'
na pofcla,
cimceall
Gpiallam
NEW
EDITION.
DUBLIN:
WGLASHA8
& GILL, 50, UPPER
SACKYILLE-STREET
LONDON* WH1TTAKEK & CO.; SIMPEIN, MARSHALL, * CO
EDINBURGH:
The
Title
Page
of
JOHN MENZIES & CO
one
the
of
P. W.
subject.
Joyce's
books
on
POYNTZPASS
18
Local
planter extraction. As such they had a poor ear for the
exact Gaelic pronunciation of a placename and often
wrote down an approximate rendering of the sounds
in phonetic English. This initial inaccuracy was fre
quently compounded when the first written form was
further corrupted by mistaken transcription or perhaps
by a desire to simplify the pronunciation for English
speakers who had difficulty with the Irish names. A
good illustration of this is the case of the townland
near Scarva. In attempting to arrive at the
Monclone,
Gaelic
form of the townland I worked for a
original
on
time
the
long
assumption that the first element in
the word "mon" was the Gaelic word, 'mdin" mean
^ hl-m
\***
?
hypothesis
*
*"
- *** ?xj!*.1* t ?* ^J*"
n. ^|.
<?|
** '*"/*' '.
?>y
".T?*.^*.-
.-ft??PiSfc
*te?^j*s?>~
appeared
LOCAL HISTORY
SOCIETY
Placenames
Linguistic corruption is what renders the study of
placenames a rather inexact science. This corruption
is two-fold ? oral and written. The first cartographers
in the
(makers of maps) who recorded placenames
various surveys were almost invariably of English
ing turf. This working
AND DISTRICT
been supported by a local tradition that there are coal
some
in the townland
which
locals
deposits
remembered having been mined. Not until I discovered
was
the early written form of the word "minclointy"
I in any doubt that my original assumption was cor
rect. In actual fact the prefix "mion" simply means
small and has nothing whatsoever to do with either coal
or turf! The lesson, of course, is caution and open
mindedness and indeed between presenting this study
as a talk and later preparing it for print I have altered
on my suggestions for the meanings of a number of
names on the list where continued research has brought
fresh evidence to light. Indeed it is quite likely that
some of my readers will be able to clarify certain
doubts that still exist on the list, as it is now presented,
I hope I have not been too inac
but in the meanwhile
curate
in my
attempts
to offer meanings
to lcoal
placenames.
to have
rylTTt'lirifTHiP^
,.^: iilin>ii^iffT
*+g.}Z$8fmmmWm1^^
:
'\"l?rtllftK^
:^^.. ^^tr.^-y.%.,
t:^.."^jL^&?g*^?Sff^OThBfffB^JBBBBlM^irfB^WnWBBBBBBBBBBBBT^^J^BM^^Si^^^
%aiiMB8ifM
e?jpgMainlBftM
Cattle
graze
on
what
was
Loughadian.
formerly
a
lake?
?*
POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY
SOCIETY
is a selection of local placenames with their
meanings. The list is arranged alphabetically and the
criterion for selection is purely random choice. As such
the list is incomplete so Imust apologise for this short
coming and hope that the list nevertheless satisfies the
readers' curiosity regarding at least some of our local
Below
placenames. Where the meaning of the placename is
uncertain this is indicated by an asterisk * and in such
ANNACLONE
AUGHANTARRAGHAN*
BALLYARGAN
BALLYDOHERTY
BALLYGOWAN
BALLYMACARATTY
BALLYMORE
cases
19
more
ACTON
Currach a1 toir
The
AGHADERG
Achadh dearg
Eanach cluain
Achadh an tsorachain
Achadh an torachain
The
Each Laisc
AUGHLISH
Baile Argana
Baile Dochartaigh
Baile gabhann
The
BALLYNAGREAGH
BALLYNALECK
Baile
Baile
Baile
Baile
BALLYNASKEAGH
Baile na sceach
BALLYREAGH
BALLYSHIEL
BALLYVARLEY*
Baile reidh
Baile Siadhail
Baile a' mharlaigh
than
one
meaning
Mag oireachtaigh
mor
The
na gcrioch
na Leac/Leice
The
CARRICKBRACK
CARRICKDRUMMAN
CARRICKROVADDY
COOLNACRANN
BARR
The
Barr
Baile na bpeacach
The
Breathnach
BRANNOCK
The
CARGANS
Carraigin
Carn
CARNBANE
Ban
The
CARNMEEN
Carn Min
The
breac
Carraig
The
Carraig droman
re
mhadaigh
Carraig
The
CLOGHOGUE
Clochog
Ciil na (g)crann
CORLUST
Corr lust(an)
be
volunteered.
The
The
The
The
The
swamp of the tall rock.
red field
meadow marsh
field of the miser
field of the strong man
horse enclosure
townland of the plunder
townland of Doherty
townland of the
blacksmith
The townland of McGarrity
big townland
The townland of the boundary
The townland of the flat
stone(s)
The townland of the
whitethorn bushes
The level/smooth townland
The townland of Shields
The townland of the clay,
limestone
BALLYNABECK
may
soil.
The townland of the weakling
summit
The townland of the sinners
land
Englishman's
small rock
The white mound / cairn area
smooth cairn
speckled rock
rock on the small ridge
The rock of the dogs
stony patch
The nook of the trec(s)
The projecting rock of the
weeds
CORRERNAGH
Corr Airchcannach
The projecting
rock of the
church-farmer
CREWBEG/CREWMORE
CRANKEY
Crannachaidh
CREEVY
Craobhaigh
Cruach beag/mor
I
would gladly welcome any information readers could
supply to amend or extend this small effort to begin
research into a very interesting topic of local history.
To conclude this introductory article I supply a list
of basic elements or root words which may assist in
terested readers in their efforts to unveil the meanings
of other townlands, local and further afield.
The branchy place
The wooded place
The Big/small stack
20
CULLENTRAGH
POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY
Coll an Tra
SOCIETY
hazel tree at the shallow
The
water?
DONAGHMORE
DROMANTINE*
DRUMBANAGHER
DRUMINARGLE
DRUMNAMETHER
DRUMSALLAGH
FEDERNAGH
GLASSDRUMMAN
GLENLOUGHAN
KILLYBODAGH
KILLYSAVAN
KNOCKDUFF
KNOCKNAMUCKLEY
The
Domhnach mor
Drom na tine ?
Drom beannachar
DRUMHORC
Drom a' choirce
Drom iolair
DRUMILLER
The
Drom an airgil
DRUMINURE
Drom an iuir
Drom na meadar
Drom Saileach
DUNBOY
Dun bui
The
EDENDERRY
Eadan daire
The
Fiodharnach
Glasdroman
The
GLEN
A
Gleann
Valley
Gleann lochan The
GORAGHWOOD
The
Gabharach
GREENAN
Grianan
The
KEADYMORE
Ceideadh mor
Coilleadh
Bodach
Coilleadh sabhan Wood
KILREA
Coili reidh
The
Cnoc dubh
The
Cnoc na muc liath
LEGANANNY
Liag an Fhanaidh
LESH
Lis
big churchland
The hillock of the fire
The ridge of the peaks
The ridge of the oats
ridge of the eagle
The ridge of the oratory
The ridge of the yew
The ridge of the churns
The ridge of the sally trees
yellow fort
face of the wood
The wooded place
small green hill
valley of the small lakes
place abounding in goats
high sunny spot
The big flat-topped hill
The wood of the rude persons
of the smalirods
flat wood
black hill
The hill of the grey swine
The flat stone on the slope
Holder of land by feudal
tenure
LISNABRAGUE
LISBANE
Lios ban
Lios na breige
LISNAGADE
Lios na gcead
lios na gcrfoch
LISNAGREE
LISNALEE
Lios na lao
LOUGHADIAN
LOUGHBRICKLAND
LOUGHORNE*
MAGHERADOUGHERTY
MAVEMACULLEN
MULLABRACK
MULLAGHGLASS
SAVALBEG/-MORE
SHANECRACKEN
A
The
White fort
fort of the lie
The fort of the hundred
(forts
?)
The
The
The
The
LISRAW
Lios ratha
LISSUMMON
Lios Iomana
Loch a' daingm
The
Loch Bricreann
The
Loch amhnin
Machaire Dochart.ugh
Maigh a' Mhmlinn
MEENAN
A
small
Mfnan
MONCLONE
Small
Mionchluainte
A
Mullaeh breac
A
Mullaeh glas
MULLINARY
The
Mull an airf
Sabhall bcag/mor
A
SCARVA
Scairbheach
An
Seanchreagan
fort of the boundary
fort of the claves
ringed fort
fort of the football
The lake of the fortress
lake of King Bricriu
lake of the songs
lake
Doherty's
The plain of the mill
level place
strips of grassland
wooded area
speckled hill
green hill
milking hill
A small/big barn
shallow rugged ford
old rock
in a
POYNTZPASS
AND DISTRICT
LOCAL HISTORY
TERRYHOOGAN
An
Seaneaglais
T6in re gaoith
Tamhnach Eochaidh
TANNYOKEY
The
Doire shugan
TULLYMACANN
TULLYNACROSS
Tulaigh Mac Catham
Tulach na croise
SHANEGLISH
TANDERAGEE
Poyntzpass
SOCIETY_21
village
from
viewed
A
the
general
townland
view
of
of
Lisnabrague,
Brannock
with
townland?
old church
Ass-to-the-wind
Eochaidh's green field
oak-grove of the straw
ropes
Mac Catham's hill
The hill of the crosses
Tullynacross
Acton
House
in
townland
is on
the
the
right.
background.
POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY
22
EXAMPLE
ROOT WORDS
Abhainn
a river;
(owen),
SOCIETY
owen,
and
avon,
in
Craigavon
(Creag abhann) The rock of the river
the end of words with the/? of the article, hown,
hone,
hivnia
howna,
(aha), a field; it is generally represented
Achadh
names
in modern
by
agha,
or
agh,
augh,
but
Finaghy (Fionnachadh) The fair-coloured
(Belfast)
field
these also often stand for ath, a ford
a height,
AU,
a cliff,
a glen side
Altnamackin
(Alt na meacan) The glenside of the
carrots
high, a height
(bally), a town, a townland; bally, balli,
in the eastern counties bal.
and
vally
Ardglas (Ard glas) The green height
(Co. Down)
(Baile Sheamais Dhuibh) The
Ballyjamesduff
town of black-haired James. (Co. Cavan)
Ban (bawn), white or fair coloured; bane, baun,
Mullaghbawn
Ard,
Baile
(Mullach ban) The long white hill
vaun.
vane,
bawn,
(Barr) The
summit
Barr (baur), the top, the highest point; bar, baur.
The Bar of a townland (used in the north) is the
high or hilly part
Barr
Beag (beg), little
Beannchar
(banaher),
small barn
(Sabhall
beag) A
Savalbeg
The
(Droim
beannchar)
Drumbanagher
ridge of
the peaks
banagher,
Beam,
na,
peaks;
gables,
bangor.
bearnas
bearna,
a gap,
horns,
a gap
barnis,
varny,
(barn,
in a mountain;
barna,
barna,
and
varnis,
barnas),
barny,
var
Lisdoonvarna (Lios Dubh an Bhearna) The black
fort in the gap (Co. Clare)
in the north
often
barnet.
Bel, beal (bale), the mouth, an entrance, a ford;
often joined to ath in the compond bel-atha
(bellaha, bella), a ford-mouth or ford entrance.
Bo,
a cow;
bo,
boe,
and
by
eclipse,
moe
(mho).
Ballybay (Beal Atha Beithc) themouth ofthe ford
of the birch trees. (Co. Monaghan)
Ardboe
(Ard Bo) The height of the cows.
(Co.
Tyrone)
Brocach
brochagh,
(bruckagh),
brocky.
a
badger
warren;
Artabrackagh
the badger's
(Aird an bhrocaigh) The height of
warren.
(Between Tandragee
Bun, the end or bottom of anything;
of a river
the mouth
Cabhan
(eavan), a hollow; in some parts of
Ulster it signifies a round hill; eavan.
and Portadown)
Bundoran (Bun Dobhrain)
stream. (Co. Donegal)
Cavanakeeny
of
The mouth
(Cabhan an chaonaigh) The hollow
the moss.
(A townland comprising three fields
owned by John Lynch from Acton)
Caiseal
(cashel),
a circular
stone fort; cashel,
of the
Drumcashel
formerly
(Droim Caisil) The fort on the ridge
castle,
Cam,
a monumental
heap
of
stones;
earn;
carna
(Townland off Rathfriland Road, Newry)
Carnmeen (Cam min) The flat mound of stones
POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY
Carrag
a rock;
(corrig),
carrick,
carrig,
SOCIETY
23
Carrickasticken
carriga
the
small
(Carraig an Stoicin) The rock by
trcc-stump.
(Forkhili, Co. Armagh)
(can), the head, front, or highest part of
Ceann
can,
kan,
anything;
ken
kirn,
Ceide (keady), a hillock, a hill level and smooth
at top; keady, keadew, keadagh, cady, caddagh.
Ceis
a wicker
(kesh),
a wickerwork
basket,
(Ceide)
Kcady
Kesh
(Ceis) A wickcrwork
strewn
kesh.
kish,
causeway;
Kintyre (Ceann Tire) The head of the land.
(Scotland)
over
criss-cross
trees,
causeway,
soft
to permit
ground
transport.
(According to Miss M. Savage this name was
given to an area on the Armagh railway track
in Lissummon)
(kill), a church; kill, kil, kyle, keel,
kille, killa
Cill
Cloch,
a stone,
clohy,
cloy,
castle;
among
clogh,
(near
marches,
bogs,
a fertile piece of land
or woods;
cloon,
(Clochog) A
Cloghogue
do,
clough,
The
(Cill Shleibhe)
Killeavey
church on the
mountainside.
naglogh.
(cloon), a meadow,
Cluain
clin,
a stone
cal,
clon,
Tandragee,
Co.
stony place
Armagh)
Clontarf (Cluain Tairbh).
bull (Suburb of Dublin)
of the
The meadow
cloony.
(knock), a hill; knock, knick, nick, crock,
Cnoc
The
a wood;
Coill,
Cor,
"knocks".
The
hills,
in almost every county
cruck
a round
cuill, cullia
kil, kyle,
Craebh
(crave), a branch, a large braunchy tree;
creeva,
crew,
creevy,
nagreeve
(Craobhach)
Creevy
overhanging
(Townland
cruachan
Cruach,
croghan,
cruagh,
a
croagh,
holly; cullion,
(culion),
(dar),
Dearg
an
oak;
dar,
der,
dara,
darra,
near Loughbrickland,
with
Co. Down)
(Cruach Mor) A large stacked-up hill
near Tandragee, Co. Armagh)
(downagh),
donna,
donagh,
drought,
Derrybeg
(Doire beag) A small copse of oak
donny,
Sunday,
don,
a church;
(drum),
red castle.
Donnj*,hmoto (Domhnach Mor) The big church.
dun
(drohed), a bridge; dmiihal,
drait
drom,
(Caislean Dearg) The
Castlederg
(Co. Tyione)
red; derg, dcrrig, darrig
(derg),
Droichead
Eaglais
heagles,
shaded
trees.
Domhnach
drum,
(Townland
area
Sieve Gullion (Sliabh gCuilinn) The mountin of
the holly tree.
cullen
darraigh
Druim
Crewmore
An
branches.
croaghan
Cuillionn
Dair
a rick,
cruhaun),
(cruagh,
round stacked up hill; crogh,
a name
Killylea (Coilleadh Liath) The grey wood
Corcrum (Cor Crom) The stooped round hill
(Townland near Poyntzpass, Co. Armagh).
etc.
hill,
such
(There's
in Ireland)
dtchid,
the back, a ridge or long hill;
DuiuImhI (Dun Droichid) The fort by the bridge.
Drom ore (An Droim Mor)
The
large ridge
drim.
(aglish),
eglis
a
church;
aglish,
eglish,
Eglish
(Eaglais) A church.
(Co. Tyrone)
24
Eanach
a marsh;
(annagh),
anna,
annagh,
POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY
anny
(fih), a wood; free, fi, feigh, feth, fith, fid
Fidh
Fuinnse, fuinnseann,
fuinnseog (funsha, fun
the
ash
tree; funcheon, funshin,
shan, funshoge),
funshinagh, funchoge. The f is omitted in the
north,
rise
giving
to such
as unshin,
forms
shinagh,
inshinagh,
Gabhar
(gour), a goat; gower,
Glas,
Grian
Correnshigo (Cor Fhuinnseoige)
ash tree (Townland near Newry)
place
The hill of the
unshog, hinchoge
the
(greean),
(Fiodharnach).
Federnagh
large marsh
A wooded
un
gour, gore
(Gabharach
Goraghwood
abounding with goats (?)
green; glass
a tilled field; gort, gurt, gart.
Gort,
(Eanach Mor) A
Annaghmore
SOCIETY
sun;
green,
(Mullaeh glas). The green hill.
(Gort an choirce) The corn-field.
Mullaglass
Gortahork
gren,
greany
Iolar (iller), an eagle; iller, uller, ilra, ulra, illard
A wood
"wood")
(Co. Donegal)
Greenan (Grianan) A high sunny spot
Drummillar
(Droim Iolair) The ridge of the
kestral.
(yure), a yew tree; ure
Iubhar
Leac,
lie, Hag (lack, lick, leeg), a flagstone;
lack, leek, lick, leek, leege.
Leitir
(letter), a wet side of a hill, plural
leatracha (latraha); 7erter, lattera, lettera, let
Newry (An tlur) The yew tree.
Lack (An Leac) The flagstone. (Co. Fermanagh)
Lettermacaward
wet hillside.
(Leitir Mhic
an Bhaird) Ward's
teragh
Liath
(leea), grey; lea
Machaire
(mahera), a plain; maghera, maghery
madradh
Madadh,
maddoo,
maddy,
a dog;
(madda, maddra),
maddra,
vaddoo,
vaddy,
Leitrim
(Liath
-
Droim)
The Grey
ridge.
(machaire Dochartaigh)
(Townland near Markethill)
(Leim an mhadaidh) The dog's leap.
Magheradougherty
Doherty's plain.
Limavaddy
(Co. Derry)
vaddra
(maw), a plain; moy, ma, may, moigh,
Magh
muff,
moig,
Min
(meen),
Muileann
mo.
smooth,
(mullen),
fine,
a mill;
(Min an chladaigh) The smooth land
Meenaclady
on the seashore (Co. Donegal).
meen.
small;
mullen,
(Magh alainn) The fair plain,
Moyallen
near
Gilford)
(village
mullin,
willin
Castlewcllan
near
Muine
(money),
Mullach
mully,
Rath
ra,
Reidh
a shrubbery; money
a circular
fort;
a coarse
mountain
rath,
(Baile an mhuine) The townland of
(Co. Antrim)
(An mullaeh mor) The great
Mullaghmore
hilltop. (Co. Sligo)
mulla,
rah,
Rathfriland
(Rath Faoilinn)
rcy
Cloughrea
(Cloch reidh) A
and
Roslea
ray,
Freelan's
raha
(ray),
means
a wood
generally
a peninsula
in the north;
ross,
Ros,
raw,
The castle
Ballymoney
the shrubs.
(mullagh), a summit; mullagh,
mul
(raw),
(Caislean anMhuilinn)
the mill.
flat;
in the
rus,
rea,
rc,
south,
rush
flat stone
(Ros Liath) A grey wood
(Co. Fermanagh)
fort.
AND DISTRICT
POYNTZPASS
LOCAL HISTORY
SOCIETY_25
Saileach
(saulagh), a sallow; sillagh, sallagh, sill
Drumsallach
sally tree.
Scairbh
(scarriff), a shallow rugged ford; Skar
Scarva
riff,
scarry,
Sceach
skehy,
scarva,
scarvy,
(shan), old; shan, shanna
a marsh,
Seiscenn
(skeskin),
sheskin, seskin teskin
bush;
Tor,
(tawnagh), a green field;
tonagh, tamnagh, tamny
gold.
Traigh
the
(Co. Tyrone)
Slieve Comedagh
(Sliabh Coimh^adach)
mountain of the lookout post (Mournes)
Fintona
tober,
The
A fair green field
(Fionntamhnach)
(Co. Tyrone)
tawnagh,
of land; tat, tate
tipra (gen, tioprad), a well;
tipper, tubbrid, tibret
a tower-like
fort of
(Seanchill) An old churchyard (Belfast)
Siskinore (Seisceann an dir) The marsh of the
a quagmire;
Tamhnach
Tobar,
tubber,
stoney ford
Shankill
(sleeve), a mountain;
slieve, she, sle,
//eve, lie; and by an eclipse of s. tleva, tlieve, flea
tath, a measure
A shallow
Lisnaskea
(Lios na Sceach) The
whitethorns
(Co. Fermanagh)
skeagh,
Sliabh
Tate,
(Scairbheach)
scarragh
(skagh), a whitethorn
skey, ske, skeha, skew
Sean
tawny,
(Droim Saileach) The ridge ofthe
Tattyreagh (Tafcu r&dh) A
(Co. Fermanagh)
flat stretch of land
Tobermore
large well
A
(Tobar M6r)
(Co. Derry)
rock; tor.
Tormore
(An Tor M6r) The large towering rock
(Townland near Saval)
(tra), a strand; tra, traw, tray
Tramore
(Trd M6r)
A
large
beach.
(Co.
Waterford)
(tulla), a little hill; tulla, tullow, tullagh,
tully, tui
Tulach
Uisce
(iska), water;
cross
iska, isky, isk
"Tannyoky"
Road?a
Lisanisk
modern
(Tulach na croise) The hill of the
Tullynacross
attempt
at
(Lios an Uisce)
spelling
a
townland
The fort of the water.
name.