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IRISH LOCAL NAMES EXPLAINED
A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W YVOCABULARY OF IRISH ROOT WORDS A B C D E F G I L M N O P R S T U
IRISH LOCAL NAMES EXPLAINED
Bahana; same as Behanagh, which see.
Bailey lighthouse at Howth ; from the old bally or fortress of Criffan, king of Ireland in the first century, on the site of which it was built.
Balbriggan in Dublin ; Baile-Breacain, Brecan's town.
Baldoyle in Dublin; Baile-Dubhghoill, Dubhghall's or Doyle's town.
Balfeddock; the town of the feadogs or plovers.
Balgeeth in Meath; the town of the wind (gaeth).
Balla in Mayo. In the Life of St. Mochua, we are told that before the saint founded his monastery there in the seventh century, the place was called Ros-dairbh-reach [Ros-dar'aragh], i. e. oak grove; that he enclosed the wells of his establishment with a balla or wall; and that hence the place received the new name of Balla.
Ballagh; Bealach, a road or pass.
Ballaghaderreen in Mayo; the road of the derreen or little oak wood.
Ballaghbehy; the road of the birch (beith),
Ballaghboy; yellow road (buidhe).
Ballaghkeen in Wexford; beautiful road (caein).
Ballaghkeeran ; the road of the keerans or quicken trees.
Ballaghmore; great road.
Ballard; Baile-ard, high town.
Ballee in Down; written in the Taxation of 1306...
Baliath; from the Irish Baile-atha, the town of the ford.
Balleen; little bally or town.
Ballina, the name of many places; Bel-an-atha [Bella-naha], the mouth of the ford.
Ballinabarny; the town of the bearna or gap.
Ballinaboy in Cork, Galway, and Roscommon; Bel-an-atha-buidhe, the mouth of the yellow ford.
Ballinaclogh; the town of the stones (cloch).
Ballinacor, Ballinacur, Ballinacurra; Baile-na-corra, the town of the weir.
Ballinafad; Bel-an-atha-fada [Bellanafadda], the mouth of the long ford.
Ballinagar; Bel-atha-na-gcarr [Bellanagar], the ford-mouth of the cars.
Ballinahinch; the town of the inis or island.
Ballinakill; the town of the church or wood.
Ballinalack in Westmeath; Bel-atha-na-leac [Bellana-lack], the mouth of the ford of the flag-stones.
Ballinalee and Ballinalea; Bel-atha-na-laegh, the ford-mouth of the calves.
Ballinamona; Baile-na-mona, the town of the hog.
Ballinamore; Bel-an-atha-moir, the mouth of the great ford.
Ballinamought near Cork; Baile-na-mbocht, the town of the poor people (bocht).
Ballinard; the town of the ard or height.
Ballinascarty; the town of the scart or thicket.
Ballinasloe; Bel-atha-na-sluaigheadh [Bellanaslooa], F. M., the ford-mouth of the hosts or gatherings.
Ballinaspick, Ballinaspig; Baile-an-easpuig, the town of the bishop.
Ballinastraw; the town of the srath or river-holm.
Ballinchalla on Lough Mask in Mayo; Baile-an-chala, the town of the callow or landing place.
Ballinclare; the town of the clar or plain.
Ballincloghan; the same as Ballyologhan.
Ballincollig; Baile-an-chullaigh, the town of the boar.
Ballincurra, Ballincurrig, Ballincurry; Baile-an-chur-raigh, the town of the currach or marsh.
Ballinderry; the town of the derry or oak wood.
Ballindrait, Ballindrehid; Baile-an-droichid, the town of the bridge.
Ballineddan in Wicklow; Baile-an-fheadain, the town of the feadan or streamlet.
Ballinfoyle in Galway and Wicklow; see page 2.
Ballingaddy; the town of the thief (gadaighe), i.e. the black thief O'Dwane.
Ballingarrane; the town of the garran or shrubbery.
Ballingarry; Baile-an-gharrdha, the town of the garden.
Ballinglanna, Ballinglen; the town of the glen.
Ballingowan; the town of the smith (gobha).
Ballinlass, Ballinlassa, Ballinlassy, Ballinliss; the town of the lios or fort.
Ballinlough; the town of the lake.
Ballinloughan, Ballinloughaun; the town of the little lake.
Ballinlug, Ballinluig; the town of the lug or hollow.
Ballinphuill, Ballinphull; see page 2.
Ballinree; sometimes Baile-an-fhraeigh, the town of the heath (fraech); sometimes Baile-an-righ, the town of the king.
Ballinrobe; the town of the river Robe.
Ballinrostig; Roche's town.
Ballinspittle; the town of the spital or hospital.
Ballintaggart; see page 3.
Ballinteer; Baile-an-tsaeir, the town of the carpenter.
Ballintemple; the town of the temple or church.
Ballinteskin; Baile-an-tsescenn, the town of the morass.
Ballintlea, Ballintleva, Ballintlevy, Ballintlieve; Baile-an-tsleibhe, the town of the mountain (sliabh).
Ballintober; the town of the well.
Ballintogher; the town of the togher or causeway.
Ballintubbert, Ballintubbrid; same as Ballintober.
Ballinure; the town of the yew tree (iubhar).
Ballinvally; Baile-an-bhealaigh, the town of the road.
Ballinvarrig, Ballinvarry; Barry's town.
Ballinvella, Ballinvilla; Baile-an-bhile, the town of the bile or ancient tree.
Ballinvoher; Baile-an-bhothair, the town of the road.
Ballinvreena in Limerick and Tipperary; the town of the bruighean [breen] or fairy mansion.
Ballinwillin; Baile-an-mhuilinn, the town of the mill.
Ballinwully in Roscommon; see page 1.
Ballytore in Kildare took its name from a ford on the river Greece; Bel-atha-a'-tuair [Bellatoor], the ford mouth of the tuar or bleach green.
Ballyard; high town.
Bailybaan, Ballybane, Ballybaun; white town.
Ballybay in Monaghan; Bel-atha-beithe [Bellabehy], the ford mouth of the birch.
Ballybeg; small town.
Ballyboe; i. e. " cow-land," a measure of land.
Ballybofey in Donegal. The correct old name is Srath-bofey. Some occupier named Fiach or Fay must have in past times kept his cows on the holm along the Finn; Srath-bo-Fiaich, F. M., the river holm of Fiach's cows.
Ballyboghil in county Dublin; the town of the bachal or crozier; from St. Patrick's crozier.
Ballyboley; the town of the booley or dairy place.
Ballybough near Dublin; Baile-bocht, poor town; the same as Ballybought in other places.
Ballyboy in King's County; written in Irish authorities Baile-atha-buidhe [Ballyaboy], the town of the yellow ford; the name is common in other counties and sometimes means yellow town (Baile-buidhe).
Ballybrack; speckled town.
Ballybrannagh; Walsh's town. The proper name Walsh is in Irish Breathnach [Branagh], i. e. Briton.
Ballybunnion in Kerry; Bunnion's town.
Ballycahan, Ballycahane; O'Cahan's town.
Ballycahill; Cahill's or O'Cahill's town.
Ballycastle in Antrim; the town of the castle.
Ballycastle in Mayo; the town of the cashel or circular stone fort.
Ballyclare; the same as Ballinclare.
Ballyclerahan in Tipperary; O'Clerahan's town.
Ballyclogh, Ballyclohy; the town of the stones.
Ballycloghan; the town of the cloghan or row of stepping stones across a river.
Ballyclug in Antrim ; the town of the bell (clog).
Ballycolla; the town of Colla, a man's name.
Ballyconnell in Cavan. According to tradition, Conall Carnagh, one of the most renowned of the Red Branch knights of Ulster, was slain here in the first century; hence it was called Bel-atha-Chonaill, the mouth of the ford of Conall.
Ballycormick; Cormac's or O'Cormac's town.
Ballycullane; O'Cullane's or O'Collins's town.
Ballydehob in Cork; Bel-atha-da-chab, the ford of the two cabs or mouths ; from some local feature.
Ballyduff; black town.
Ballyea; O'Hea's or Hayes's town.
Ballyeighter; Baile-iochtar, lower town.
Ballyfoyle; the town of the hole (poll).
Ballygarran, Ballygarraun; the town of the garran or shrubbery.
Ballyglass; green town.
Ballygowan; the town of the smith (gobha).
Ballyheige in Kerry; Baile-ui-Thadg, the town of O'Teige.
Ballyhooly near Mallow; took its name from an ancient ford on the Blackwater, called in the Book of Lismore Ath-ubhla [Ahoola]; the ford of the apples. The people now call it in Irish Baile-atha-ubhla (which they pronounce Blaa-hoola), the town of the apple ford, which has been shortened to the present name.
Ballykeel; Baile-cael, narrow town.
Ballyknock; the town of the hill.
Ballyknockan, Ballyknockane; the town of the little -hill.
Ballylanders in Limerick; Landers's town, from an English family of that name.
Ballylig; the town of the lug or hollow.
Ballylongford in Kerry; Bel-atha-longphuirt, the ford-mouth of the longphort or fortress; because it led to Carrigafoyle castle, two miles off.
Ballylough, Ballyloughan, Ballyloughaun; the town of the lake.
Ballylusk, Ballylusky; Baile-loisgthe, burnt town; from the practice of burning the surface in tillage.
Ballymena, Ballymenagh; Baile-meadhonach, middle town.
Ballymoney; the town of the shrubbery (muine).
Ballymore; great town; sometimes when the place is on a river it is Bel-atha-moir [Bellamore], the mouth of the great ford.
Ballymote; Baile-an-mhota, F. M., he town of the moat or mound.
Ballynabarna, Ballynabarny, Ballynabearna; the town of the gap. See Ballinabarny.
Ballynaboley, Ballynaboola, Ballynabooley; the town of the booley or dairy place (buaile). See Bally-boley.
Ballynacally; the town of the calliagh or hag.
Ballynacarrick, Ballynacarrig, Ballynacarriga, Ballynacarrigy; the town of the rock (carraig).
Ballynaclogh, Ballynacloghy; Baile-na-cloiche, the town of the cloch or stone.
Ballynacor, Ballynacorra; the town of the weir (cora).
Ballynacourty; the town of the court or mansion.
Ballynagall, Ballynagaul; the town of the Galls or foreigners.
Ballynagard; the town of the ceards or artificers.
Ballynagee, Ballynageeha; town of the wind (gaeth}.
Ballynageeragh; the town of the sheep (caera).
Ballynaglogh; Baile-na-gcloch, the town of the stones.
Ballynagore; the town of the goats (gabhar).
Ballynagowan; the town of the smiths (gobha).
Ballynagran; Baile-na-gcrann, the town of the trees.
Ballynahaglish; the town of the church (eaglais}.
Ballynahinch; the town of the inis or island.
Ballynahone, Ballynahown, Ballynahowna; the town of the river (abhainn).
Ballynahow; the town of the river (abh).
Ballynakill, Ballynakilla, Ballynakilly; the town of the church or wood (cill or coill).
Ballynalacken; the town of the leacan or hill side.
Ballynamona; the town of the bog (moin).
Ballynamuck; the town of the pigs (muc).
Ballynamuddagh; Baile-na-mbodach, the town of the bodachs or churls.
Ballynaraha; the town of the rath or fort.
Ballynatona, Ballynatone; the town of the backside or hill (toin).
Ballynatray; the town of the strand (traigh).
Ballyneety; Baile-an-Fhaeite, the town of White, a family name of English origin.
Ballyness; the town of the waterfall (eas).
Ballynew, Ballynoe; Baile-nua, new town.
Ballynure; Baile-an-iubhair, the town of the yew.
Ballyorgan in Limerick; Organ's or Horgan's town.
Ballyragget in Kilkenny; Bel-atha~Raghat, F. M., Ragat's ford-mouth.
Ballyroe; Baile-ruadh, red town.
Ballyroosky ; the town of the rusk or marsh.
Ballysadare in Sligo; originally Eas-dara [Assdara], the cataract of the oak, from the beautiful fall on the Owenmore river. It was afterwards called Baile-easa-dara [Ballyassadara], F. M., the town of Assdara, which has been shortened to the present name.
Ballysaggart; the town of the sagart or priest
Ballysakeery in Mayo ; see page 3.
Ballysallagh; dirty town.
Ballyshane; Shane's or John's town.
Ballyshannon: the old ford on the Erne is called by the annalists Ath-seanaigh and Bel-atha-seanaigh [Bella-shanny]; from the latter, the present name is derived, and it means the mouth of Seanach's or Shannagh's ford, a man's name in common use. The `on' is a modern corruption; the peasantry call the town Ballyshanny, which is nearer the original. Ballyshannon in Kildare is similarly derived.
Ballytarsna, Ballytarsney; cross-town; i. e. the village or townland had a cross or transverse position.
Ballyteige; O'Teige's town.
Ballytrasna; same as Ballytarsna.
Ballyvaghan in Clare; Baile-ui-Bheachain, O'Behan's town.
Ballywater; Baile-uachtar, upper town.
Ballywillin ; the town of the mill (muileann).
Balrath ; Baile-ratha, the town of the fort.
Balrathboyne in Meath. St. Baeithin [Bweeheen; but often pron. Boyne], the son of Cuana, built a church here near an ancient rath, and the rath remains, though the church is gone. Hence it was called Rath-Baeithin, and in recent times, Balrathboyne, the town of Baeithin's rath.
Balrothery; Baile-a'-ridire [Ballyariddery], the town of the knight.
Baltinglass; it is written Bealach-Chonglais [Ballacon-glas] in Irish authorities, the road or pass of Cuglas, a person about whom there is a very ancient legend.
Baltrasna; the same as Ballytarsna.
Baltray; the town of the strand (traigh).
Banagh, barony of, in Donegal. It is called in the annals Baghaineach [Bawnagh], i. e. the territory of Boghaine [Boana] or Enna Boghaine, the son of Conall Gulban, son of the great king Niall of the Nine Hostages, who reigned from A.D. 379 to 405.
Banagher and Bangor; Beannchor [Banaher], F. M., (from the root beann], signifies horns, or pointed hills or rocks, and sometimes simply a pointed hill.
Bannow in Wexford; the harbour was called Cuan-an-bhainbh [Coon-an-wonniv], the harbour of the bonniv or sucking pig; and the village has preserved the latter part of the name changed to Bannow.
Bansha; Bainseach [Bawnsha], a level place.
Bantry; Beantraighe [Bantry], Book of R., i. e. the descendants of-Beann [Ban], one of the sons of Conor Mac Nessa, king of Ulster in the first century. A part of the tribe settled in Wexford, and another part in Cork, and the barony of Bantry in the former county, and the town of Bantry in the latter, retain their name.
Barna; Bearna, a gap.
Barnaboy; yellow gap.
Barnageeha, Barnageehy; windy gap (gaoth).
Barnane-Ely in Tipperary; from the remarkable gap in the Devil's Bit mountain ; Bearnan-Eile, the little gap of Ely, the ancient territory in which it was situated.
Barnes, Barnish; Bearnas, a gap.
Barnismore; great gap.
Barr; the top of anything.
Baslick; Baisleac, F. M., a basilica or church.
Batterstown ; the town of the batter (bothar) or road.
Bawnmore; great green field.
Bawnoge; little green field.
Bawnreagh; greyish green field.
Bawnskeha; the green field of the bush (seeach).
Bawnboy; yellow field.
Bawnfune; Ban-fionn, white field.
Bawnmore; great green field.
Beagh; Beitheach [Beha], a place of bircnes.
Bear; barony, island, and haven, in Cork. Owen More, king of Munster in the second century, spent nine years in Spain, and, according to an old legend, he married Beara, daughter of the king of that country. On his return to Ireland to make war against Conn of the hundred battles, he landed on the north side of Bantry bay, and called the place Beara in honour of his wife.
Beheenagh, Behernagh; a place of birches (beith).
Behy; birch land.
Belfarsad; the same as Belfast.
Belfast. In old times the Lagan used to be crossed here by a farset or sandbank, and hence the place was called Belfeirste, F. M., the bel or ford of the farset.
Bellaghy; the mouth or entrance of the lahagh or slough.
Bellanacargy in Cavan; Bel-atha-na-cairrge, the mouth, of the ford of the rock (carraig}.
Bellanagar in Roscommon; Bel-atha-na-gcarr, the mouth of the ford of the cars.
Bellananagh in Cavan; Bel-atha-na-neach, the mouth of the ford of the horses (each).
Bellaugh in Roscommon; the same as Bellaghy.
Belleek near Ballyshannon; Bel-leice [Bellecka], F. M., the ford-mouth of the flag stone, from the flat surfaced rock in the bed of the river. Belleek in other places is similarly derived.
Beltany; from Bealtaine or Beltaine, the first of May; because the May day sports used to be celebrated there.
Ben; a peak, a pointed hill (beann).
Benbo mountain near Manorhamilton, is called in Irish Beanna-bo, F. M., the peaks or horns of the cow, from its curious double peak.
Benburb in Tyrone; from a cliff over the Blackwater, called in the annals Beann-borb, the proud peak.
Bengore head; the peak of the goats (gabhar).
Bengorm; blue peak.
Benmore; great peak.
Bignion or Binnion; small ben or peak.
Billy in Antrim; Bile, an ancient tree.
Binbulbin; correct name, Binn-Gulbain, Gulban's peak.
Bogagh, Boggagh, Boggan, Boggaun; a boggy place.
Boher; Bothar [boher], a road.
Boherard; high road.
Boherboy; yellow road.
Boherduff; see page 2.
Bohereen; little road.
Bohermeen; smooth road.
Boherroe; red road.
Boho in Fermanagh; Botha [boha], tents or huts.
Bohola; Both-Thola, Hy. F., St. Tola's hut.
Boley; buaile, a milking place for cattle.
Boleybeg; little boley or dairy place.
Boola, booley; the same as Boley.
Boolyglass; green booley.
Booterstown near Dublin; the town of the bothar, batter, or road. In a roll of the fifteenth century it is called Ballybothyr, which shows that the Irish name was Baile-an-bhothair, the town of the road, of which the present name is a kind of half translation.
Borheen; same as Bohereen.
Borris; Buirghes [burris], a burgage or borough.
Borris-in-Ossory; from the old territory of Ossory.
Borrisokane; O'Keane's borough town.
Borrisoleigh; from the ancient territory Ui Luighdheach [Hy Leea], in which it was situated.
Bourney in Tipperary; Boirne [bourny], rocky lands, the plural of Burren.
Bovevagh; Both-Mheidhbhe [Boh-veva], the hut or tent of Maev or Mabel, a woman's name.
Boylagh, barony of, in Donegal; i. e. the territory of the O'Boyles.
Boyounagh; yellow ounagh or marsh (abhnach}.
Braade; same as Braid.
Brackagh, Brackenagh, Brackernagh, Bracklagh; a speckled place, from breac, speckled.
Bracklin, Brackloon; Breac-cluain, speckled meadow.
Braid, the, in Antrim; applied to the deep glen through which the river flows; Braghad [brand], a gullet or gorge.
Brandon hill in Kerry, and also in Kilkenny; both called from St. Brendan the Navigator, who flourished in the sixth century.
Bray in Wicklow: it is called Bree in old documents, and it took name from the rocky head near it: Bri [bree], a hill. The name of Bray head in Valentia Island in Kerry, is similarly derived.
Breaghva, Breaghwy, Breaghy; Breach-mhagh [Breavah], the plain of the wolves (breach, a wolf; magh, a plain).
Breandrum; stinking drum or ridge.
Brigown near Mitchelstown in Cork; written Bri-gobh-unn [Breegown] in the Book of Lismore, the bree or hill of the smith (gobha).
Brittas; speckled land.
Britway in Cork; a corruption of Breaghva, which see.
Brockagh; a place of brocs or badgers.
Bruff in Limerick; a corrupt form of Brugh [bru], a fort or mansion. The brugh is the old fort near the town.
Bruis; another form of Brugh [bru], a mansion.
Bruree in Limerick; called in Irish documents Brugh-righ [Bruree], the fort or palace of the king; for it was the chief seat of Olioll Olum, king of Munster in the second century, and afterwards of the O'Donovans. Several of the old forts still remain.
Bullaun; Bullan, a well in a rock.
Bun; the bottom or end of anything; the mouth of a river.
Buncrana; the mouth of the river Crana.
Bunlahy; the end of the lahagh or slough.
Bunratty in Clare; the mouth of the river Ratty, now called the Owen O'Garney.
Burren; Boireann, a rock, a rocky district.
Burriscarra; the burris or borough of the old territory of Carra.
Burrishoole; derived like Burriscarra, from the territory of Umhall [ool] or " The Owles."
Burrisnafarney in Tipperary; the burris or borough of the alder-plain (see Farney).
Buttevant in Cork; from the French motto of the Barrys, Boutez-en-avant, push forward. The Irish name is Kilnamullagh, the cell or church of the summits (mullach).
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