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The vast majority of placenames in Ireland are anglicisations of Irish language names; that is, adaptations of the Irish names to English phonology and spelling. However, some names come directly from the English language, and a handful come from Old Norse and Scots. The study of placenames in Ireland unveils features of the country's history and geography and the development of the Irish language. The name of Ireland itself comes from the Irish name Éire, added to the Germanic word land. In mythology, Éire was an Irish goddess of the land and of sovereignty (see Ériu).
In some cases, the official English or anglicised name is wholly different from the official Irish language name. An example is Dublin: its name is derived from the Irish dubh linn (meaning "black pool"), but its Irish name is Baile Átha Cliath (meaning "town of the hurdled ford").
Etymology
Names of Irish Gaelic origin
For most of the Gaelic period, there were very few towns or large settlements in Ireland. Hence, most places were named after noteworthy features of the landscape, such as hills, rocks, valleys, lakes, islands, and harbours. As time went on, more places were named after man-made features, such as churches, castles, and bridges. Some of the most common elements found in Irish placenames are shown in the table below. The differences in spelling are often due to differences in pronunciation.
Anglicised spelling | Irish | English translation | Example(s) |
---|---|---|---|
agha, aghy, aghey, augha | achadh | field | Aghalee, Aughagower |
ard | ard | high, height, hill | Ardcroney, Ardfert, Ardglass |
ard, at, ath | áth | ford | Ardsallis, Attymass, Athlone, Athenry, Athy |
bal, balli, bally, bel | baile | homestead, settlement | Balbriggan, Ballinagree, Ballycastle, Ballyjamesduff, Ballymoney, Ballymena, Belcarra |
balli, ballina, bally, bella, bellana, ballaghna | béal (an) átha (an/na) | ford-mouth (see béal and áth) | Ballinhassig, Ballinasloe, Ballybay, Bellagowan, Bellavary, Bellanagare, Ballaghnatrillick |
bally, balla(gh), bella(gh) | bealach | pass, passage | Ballybofey, Ballyclare, Ballaghaderreen, Ballaghmore |
bane, bain, baun | bán | white | Strabane, Kinbain, Cregganbaun |
beg | beag | small | Bunbeg, Carrickbeg |
bel, bell | béal | mouth, rivermouth | Belclare, Belgooly, Belmullet, Belfast, Belturbet |
ben, bin | binn, beann | peak | Benbaun, Binevenagh |
boher, bar | bóthar | road, path, boreen | Boherbue, Bohernabreena, Bohernaglogh |
borris | buiríos | borough, burgage | Borris, Borrisokane, Borrisoleigh |
boy, bue | buí | yellow | Bawnboy, Curraghboy, Boherbue |
brack | breac | mottled, speckled | Ballybrack, Mullaghbrack |
bun | bun | river bottom, foot, mouth | Bunbeg, Buncrana, Bundoran |
cashel | caiseal | stone ringfort | Cashel, Cashelore |
cappa(gh) | ceapach | plot, tillage | Cappagh, Cappamore, Cappawhite |
carn | carn | cairn | Carndonagh, Carnmoney |
carrow, carry, carhoo, caherna | ceathrú | quarter | Carrowdore, Carrowteige, Carryduff |
carrig, carrick, craig | carraig, creig | rock, rocky outcrop | Carrigaline, Carrick, Carrickfergus, Carrickmacross, Craigarogan |
cahir, caher | cathair | stone ringfort | Cahir, Cahircon, Caherdaniel |
clare | clár | plateau, (of) level land | Clarecastle, Claremorris, Belclare, Cooraclare |
clo(gh), clough | cloch, cloich | rock | Clonakilty, Clogheen, Clogher, Cloughjordan |
clon, clone, cloon | cluain | meadow | Clondalkin, Clonmel, Cloondara |
coom | com | hollow | Coomkeen |
cor | corr | small round hill | Cornafulla, Corblonog |
corry, curry | coire | corrie | Rockcorry, Tubbercurry |
crogh, croagh | cruach | stack, pile | Croghan, Croaghgorm |
cross | cros, crois | cross | Crossbarry, Crossmaglen, Crossmolina |
cul, cool | cúl | back, behind | Cultra, Coolafancy, Coolderry |
cul, cool, cole | cúil | nook, corner | Culdaff, Coleraine, Coolrain, Cloonacool |
der, derry, dor, dore | doire | grove, oak-grove | Derry, Edenderry, Glandore, Kildorrery, Ballaghaderreen |
dona(gh) | domhnach | church | Donaghadee, Donabate, Carndonagh |
droghed, drohed, drohid | droichead | bridge | Drogheda, Carrigadrohid, Clondrohid |
drom, drum, drim | druim, droim | back, ridge | Dromod, Dromore, Drumcondra, Drumshanbo, Drimoleague |
dub, duff, duv | dubh | black | Dublin, Claddaghduff, Cloughduv |
dun, doon, down, downe | dún | stronghold, fort | Dunboyne, Dungannon, Dungarvan, Doonbeg, Downpatrick, Lansdowne |
ennis, inch, innis, innish, inish | inis | island | Ennis, Enniscorthy, Enniskillen, Inch, Inniskeen, Inishcrone |
esk, eish | eiscir | esker | Eskra |
fer | fear, fir | men | Fermanagh, Fermoy |
fin, finn, ven | fionn | clear, white, fair | Finglas, Ballyfin, Ventry |
freagh, frack | fraoch | heather | Letterfrack |
garv, gorv | garbh | rough | Garvagh, Garvaghey, Gorvagh |
gee, gwee | gaoth | estuary | Geesala, Gweedore |
glas, glass | glas | stream | Glasnevin, Douglas, Finglas |
glen, glan | gleann | valley | Glencullen, Glenties, Glenveagh, Glanmire, Glanworth |
gorm | gorm | blue | Galgorm, Ben Gorm |
gort | gort | field | Gort, Gorteen, Gortnahoe |
illan, illaun, island | oileán | island | Illanmaster, Islandeady |
inver, ineer, enner | inbhear, inbhir | river mouth, estuary | Inver, Rossinver, Dromineer |
kil, kill | cill | churchyard or graveyard | Kill, Kildare, Kilkenny, Killiney, Kilrush |
kil, kill | coill | woodland[1] | Kilbehenny, Kilcogy, Killycollie, Kilmacthomas |
kin, ken, con, can, carn | cionn, ceann | head | Kinallen, Kinlough, Kinsale, Kenmare, Conavalla |
knock | cnoc | hill | Knockbridge, Knockcloghrim, Knocklyon |
lea | liath | grey | Killylea |
letter | leitir | hillside | Letterfrack, Letterkenny, Lettermore |
lis, liss | lios | earthen ringfort | Liscannor, Lismore, Lisnaskea, Listowel, Lisselton, Lissycasey |
lough | loch | lake | Loughgall, Loughrea, Loughshinny |
lurgan | lorga(n) | long ridge | Lurgan, Ballynalurgan |
maum, maam | mám | mountain pass | Maum, Maam |
magh, may, moy, moi(gh) | maigh, machaire | plain | Magherafelt, Maynooth, Mayo, Moycullen |
mona, money | móna, monadh | moor, turf, peatland | Cornamona, Ballymoney |
mona, money, winga, winna, winny, vinna, vinny, vunnia, bonni, bunny | muine | thicket | Moneygall, Carrowmoney, Kilmoney, Ballywinna, Ballinvinny, Bonniconlon |
monaster | mainistir | abbey, monastery | Monasteraden, Monasterevin |
more | mór | big, great | Ballymore, Baltimore, Kilmore, Oranmore, Tullamore |
mulla(gh), mulh | mullach | summit | Mullagh, Mullaghmore, Mullaghbawn, Mulhuddart |
mullin | muileann | mill | Mullinahone, Mullinavat, Mullingar, Bellanamullia |
noe | nua | new | Ballynoe, Templenoe |
owen | abhainn | river | Owenbeg |
poll, poul | poll | hole | Pollagh, Poulaphouca, Poulpeasty |
port | port | stronghold, fort | Portlaoise |
port | port | port, harbour, landing place | Portadown, Portmarnock |
rath, rah | ráth | earthen ringfort | Rathdrum, Rathfarnham, Rathmines, Raheen, Raheny |
rea(gh), reva(gh) | riabhach | brindled, speckled | Loughrea, Moneyreagh, Cloonsheerevagh |
roe | rua | red | Carraroe, Murroe, Portroe |
ros, ross, rosh, rus, rush | ros | wood, wooded promontory | Roscommon, Roscrea, Rush, Kilrush, New Ross, Carrickmacross |
sall, salla, sally | sail(each) | willow(s) | Ballysally, Sallins |
shan | sean | old | Shanballymore, Shandon, Shankill |
sheskin | seascann | marsh, quagmire | Sheskin |
ske, skey, skay, skea(gh) | sceach | (thorn) bush, hawthorn | Skehana, Skeheenarinky, Ballyskeagh, Clonskeagh |
skreen, skrine, skryne | scrín | shrine | Skreen, Skryne |
slieve | sliabh | mountain | Slievenamon, Slieve Donard |
sra(gh), srah, stra, strad, strath, straw | srath, sraith | floodplain | Sragh, Stranorlar, Stradone, Strathfoyle, Straw |
ta(gh), taugh, te, tee, ti(gh) | teach | house | Taney, Taghadoe, Taghmaconnell, Taughboyne, Templeogue, Timoleague, Tydavnet |
temple | teampall | church | Templemore, Templenoe, Ballintemple |
ter, tir, tyr | tír | territory | Terenure, Terryglass, Tirconaill, Tyrone |
termon | tearmann | refuge, sanctuary | Termon, Termonfeckin |
tieve | taobh | hillside | Tievebulliagh |
tober, tubber | tobar | water well | Ballintober, Tobermore, Tubberclare, Tubbercurry |
tra, try | trá, tráigh | beach, strand | Tragumna, Tralee, Tramore, Ventry |
tuam, tom, toom | tuaim | burial mound | Tuam, Tuamgraney, Toomevara |
tulla(gh), tully, tullow | tulach | hillock, mound, heap | Tullamore, Tullyallen, Tullyhogue, Tullow |
turlough, turlagh | turlach | turlough | Turlough, Turloughmore, Turlaghmore |
orlar, urlar, urlaur | urlár | floor, flat land | Stranorlar, Urlar |
vea(gh), vei(gh) | bheithe | (of) birch | Ballyveagh, Glenveagh |
Names of Norse origin
During the 800s and 900s, Vikings from Scandinavia raided monasteries along Ireland's coasts and waterways. The Vikings spoke the Old Norse language and are also called Norsemen. They set up small coastal camps called longphorts – these were used as bases for their raiding parties and as shelters during the winter. Eventually, some longphorts grew into Norse settlements and trading ports. The biggest of these were Dublin (which became a Norse-Gaelic kingdom), Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Limerick. Over time, the Norsemen embraced Gaelic language and culture, becoming known as the Norse-Gaels (Gall-Ghaeil in Modern Irish, Gall-Gaidhel in Old Irish).
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Keyser%27s_Lane%2C_Wexford_2.jpg/220px-Keyser%27s_Lane%2C_Wexford_2.jpg)
Placenames derived from Old Norse:
English | Old Norse (approximation) |
Old Norse translated |
Irish (modern) |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arklow | Arkells-lág | Arkell's low place | an tInbhear Mór | The Irish was historically anglicised as Invermore. |
Blasket | Brasker | sharp reef | Blascaod | Unclear origin, first recorded as Brascher, Braschet, Brasquei.[2] |
Carlingford | Kerling-fjǫrðr | old woman fjord | Cairlinn | |
Copeland Islands | Kaupmanneyjar | merchants' island | Oileáin Chóplainn | The Norse name appears in Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar (1230). Later influenced by the Norman surname de Coupland, Copeland.[3][4] |
Dalkey | — | — | Deilginis | The name is a meld of deilg (Irish) + ey (Norse). |
Dursey | Þjórrs-ey | bull island | Baoi Bhéarra or Oileán Baoi | |
Fastnet | Hvasstǫnn-ey | sharp-tooth island | Carraig Aonair | — |
Fota | Fódr-øy | Foot island | Fóite | Uncertain etymology, possible means "foot" as it is at the mouth of the River Lee.[5] |
Haulbowline | Ál-boling | eel dwelling | Inis Sionnach | — |