Return to Free Library | Return to first page

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 Y

VOCABULARY 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

Kanturk in Cork; Ceann-tuirc [Kanturk], F. M., the boar's head or hill; from the hill near the town.

Keadew, Keady; Ceide [Keady], a hill level and smooth at top.

Keale, Keel; Caol, narrow; a narrow place, valley, or river.

Keeloge, Keeloges; Caelog, a narrow stripe or ridge.

Keelty; Coillte [Coiltha], woods, from coill.

Keenagh, Keenaghan; a mossy place (eacnach, moss).

Keenaght barony in Londonderry. The descendants of Cian [Kean], son of Olioll Olum (see Connello), were called Cianachta [Keenaghta], i. e. the race of Cian. The 0'Conors of Glengiven, who were a portion of this tribe, possessed the barony of Keenaght, and gave it its name.

Keimaneigh, pass of, in Cork; Ceim-an-fhiaigh [Kame-an-ee], the pass of the deer (fiadh).

Kenmare; Ceann-mara, the head of the sea (muir), i. e, the highest point reached by the tide in a river. See Kinvarra and Kinsale.

Kerry. The descendants of Ciar [Keer : see Connemara] were called Ciarraidhe [Keery : Book of R.], i. e. the race of Ciar; they possessed the territory lying west of Abbeyfeale, which was called from them Ciarraighe, and ultimately gave name to the whole county.

Kesh in Fermanagh; Ceis [Kesh], a wickerwork causeway.

Keshcarrigan in Leitrim; the wickerwork causeway of the little rock.

Kilbaha; Coill-beithe, birch wood.

Kilbarron in Donegal; St. Barron's church.

Kilbarry in Waterford and Cork; from St. Finbar. See Cork and Gougane Barra.

Kilbeg; small church or wood.

Kilbeggan; Beccan's church.

Kilbeheny; Coill-beithne [Kilbehena], F. M., birch wood.

Kilbreedy; Cill-Bhrighde, St. Brigid's church.

Kilbride; the same as Kilbreedy.

Kilbroney; church of Bronagh, a virgin saint.

Kilcarragh in Kerry and Waterford; the church of St. Carthach [Caurha] of Lismore.

Kilcavan in Wexford; church dedicated to St. Kevin of Glendalough.

Kilcleagh and Kilclay ; same as next name.

Kilclief in Down; Cill-cleithe [Kilcleha], the hurdle church (cliath). The original church was constructed of hurdles, after the early Irish fashion.

Kilcolman; St. Colman's church.

Kilcommon; St. Coman's church.

Kilcullen; Cill-cuillinn, the church of the holly.

Kildalkey in Meath; written in an Irish charter in the Book of Kells, Cill-Delga, Delga's church.

Kildare. According to Animosus, St. Brigid built her little cell here under a very high oak tree; and hence it was called Cill-dara, which the same writer translates Cella quercus, the cell or church of the oak.

Kildimo in Limerick; St. Dima's church.

Kildorrery in Cork; Cill-dairbhre [Kildarrery], the church of the oaks. See Darraragh.

Kildrought in Kildare. See Celbridge.

Kilduff; black church or wood.

Kilfinnane in Limerick; the church of St. Finan. See Ardfinnan.

Kilfithmone in Tipperary; the church of the wood of the bog (fidh and moin).

Kilflyn; Flann's church.

Kilgarriff, Kilgarve; rough wood.

Kilgarvan; St. Garbhan's or Garvan's church.

Kilkee in Clare; St. Caeidhe's [Kee's] church.

Kilkeedy in Clare and Limerick; St. Caeide's [Keedy's] church.

Kilkeel; narrow church.

Kilkenny; Cill-Chainnigh [Kilkenny], F.M., the church of St. Cainneach, or Canice, who died in the year 598. See Aghaboe.

Killadysart; the church of the desert or hermitage.

Killaloe in Clare and Kilkenny; Cill-Dalua [Killaloo d aspirated-see p. 2], the church of St. Dalua or Molua, who flourished in the sixth century.

Killanummery in Leitrim; Cill-an-iomaire [ummera], F. M., the church of the ridge.

Killarney; Cill-airne, the church of the sloes.

Killashandra. The original church was built within the enclosure of a rath or fort which still partly exists; hence Cill-a'-sean-ratha [Killashanraha], the church of the old rath.

Killashee in Kildare; Cill-ausaille, the church of St. Ausaille or Auxilius, a contemporary of St. Patrick.

Killashee in Longford is probably the church of the sidh or fairy hill.

Killaspugbrone near Sligo. In the Book of Armagh it is stated that St. Patrick built a church at Cassel Irra for his disciple Bron or Bronus, who became bishop of Cuil Irra, the peninsula lying south-west of Sligo: hence the place was called Cill-easpuig-Broin, F. M., the church of bishop Bronus (easpug, a bishop).

Killaspuglonane in Clare; Cill-easpuig-Fhlannain, F. M., the church of bishop Flannan.

Killawillin in Cork; Cill-a'-mhuilinn, the church of the mill.

Killeany in Clare and Galway; the church of St. Eany or Endeus of Aran, who flourished in the fifth century.

Killeedy in Limerick; the church of the virgin saint Ita or Ide, who founded a nunnery here in the early part of the sixth century. See Kilmeedy.

Killeen, the name of more than 80 townlands; nearly all from Cillin a little church; but a few from Coillin, a little wood.

Killeentierna in Kerry; Tighernach's [Tierna's] little church.

Killeigh in King's County; Cill-achaidh [Killahy], F. M., the church of the field.

Killenaule in Tipperary; the church of St. Naile [Nawly] or Natalis.

Killery harbour in Connemara corrupted by a change of l to r (see p. 3), from Cael-shaile [Keelhaly], narrow sea-inlet; but the full name is Cael-shaile-ruadh, F. M., the reddish (ruadh) narrow sea-inlet.

Killevy or Killeavy in Armagh; called, from its proximity to Slieve Gullion, Cill-shleibhe [Killeva], F. M., the church of the sliabh or mountain.

Killiney in Dublin; corrupted from Cill-inghen [Killineen]; full name Cill-inghen-Leinin, the church of the daughters of Leinin.

Killiney in Kerry; the same as Killeany.

Killisk, Killiskey; the church of the water (uisge).

Killoe; Cill-eo, O'C. Cal., the church of the yews

Killure; Cill-iubhair, the church of the yew.

Killursa; Cill-Fhursa, the church of St. Fursa, who flourished in the sixth century.

Killybegs; Cealla-beaga, F. M., little churches.

Killygorden in Donegal; Coill-na-gcuiridin [Kilnagurridin], F. M., the wood of the parsnips.

Killyon; the church of St. Liadhan [Leean] or Liedania, mother of St. Ciaran of Ossory. See Seirkieran.

Kilmacanoge in Wicklow; the church of St. Mochonog, one of the primitive Irish saints.

Kilmacrenan in Donegal; see p. 3.

Kilmainham near Dublin; see p. 4.

Kalmallock in Limerick; Cill-Mocheallog [Kilmohelog], the church of St. Mocheallog, who flourished in the beginning of the seventh century.

Kilmanagh near Kilkenny; Cill-manach (Mart. Taml.), the church of the monks.

Kilmeedy; the church of St. Mide, or Ite; for both arethe same name. See Killeedy.

Kilmihil; the church of St. Michael the Archangel.

Kilmore; there are about 80 parishes and townlands of this name, most of them signifying great church, some great wood (cill and coill).

Kilmurry; there are more than fifty places of this name, which were all so called from places dedicated to the Blessed Virgin : Cill-Mhuire, Mary's church.

Kilnaleck; the wood of the flag-surfaced land.

Kilnamanagh in Tipperary; Coill-na-manach, F. M., the wood of the monks.

Kilnamona; the church of the bog (moin).

Kilpatrick; St. Patrick's church.

Kilquane; Cill-Chuain, St. Cuan's church.

Kilroot in Antrim; Cill-ruadh, F. M., red church.

Kilrush; the church of the wood or peninsula.

Kilskeer in Meath; the church of the virgin saint Scire, who flourished in the sixth century.

Kiltenanlea in Clare; Cill-tSenain-leith, the church of St. Senan the hoary.

Kiltullagh in Roscommon; Cill-tullaigh, the church of the hill.

Kiltybegs; Coillte-beaga, little woods.

Kilwatermoy in Waterford; water is here a corruption of uachtar, upper: the church of the upper plain.

Kinalea, barony of, in Cork; Cinel-Aedha [Kinel-Ay], O'Dugan, the descendants of Aedh or Hugh, who was the father of Failbhe-Flann, king of Munster in A.D. 636.

Kinalmeaky, barony of, in Cork ; Cinel-mBece [Kinel-mecka], O'Dugan, the descendants of Bece, the ancestor of the O'Mahonys.

Kinard; Ceann-ard, high head or hill.

Kinawley in Fermanagh; Cill-Naile [Kilnawly, which , would have been the correct anglicised form], O'C. Cal., the church of St. Naile or Natalis, who died in A.D. 564.

Kincon; the hound's head (ceann and cu).

Kincora at Killaloe, the site of Brian Bora's palace, took its name from an ancient weir across the Shannon; Ceann-coradh [Kancora], F. M., the head or hill of the weir.

Kinneigh, Kinnea; Ceann-ech, F. M., the horse's head or hill.

Kinnitty in King's County; Ceann-Eitigh [Kan-Etty], Etech's head; so called, according to a gloss in the Felire of Aengus, because the head of Etech, an ancient Irish princess, was buried there.

Kinsale, Kinsaley; Ceann-saile, the head of the brine, i. e. the highest point to which the tide rises in a river. See Kenmare.

Kinure; Ceann-iubhair, the head of the yew.

Kinvarra in Galway; Ceann-mhara, F. M., the head of the sea. See Kenmare.

Knappagh; Cnapach, a place full of cnaps or round hillocks.

Knock; Cnoc, a hill.

Knockacullen; the hill of the holly.

Knockaderry; the hill of the oak wood.

Knockagh; Cnocach, a hilly place.

Knockainy in Limerick; the hill of Aim or Amy, a celebrated banshee.

Knockalisheen; the hill of the little lis or fort.

Knockalough; the hill of the lake.

Knockane, Knockaun; little hill.

Knockanglass, Knockaneglass; green little hill.

Knockanree; see page 2.

Knockanroe, Knockaneroe, Knockaunroe; red little hill.

Knockanure; Cnoc-an-iubhair, yew hill.

Knockatemple; the hill of the temple or church.

Knockatarriv, Knockatarry, Knockaterriff; Cnoc-a'-tairbh, the hill of the bull.

Knockatober; the hill of the well.

Knockatoor; the hill of the tuar or bleach green.

Knockatotaun; Cnoc-a'-teotain, the hill of the burning or conflagration.

Knockaunbaun; white little hill.

Knockavilla, Knockaville; the hill of the bile or old tree.

Knockavoe near Strabane; Cnoc-Buidhbh [Knockboov], F, M., the hill of Bove Derg, a legendary Tuatha De Danann chief.

Knockbane, Knockbaun; white hill.

Knockboy; Cnoc-buidhe, yellow hill.

Knockbrack; Cnoc-breac, speckled hill.

Knockcroghery in Roscommon; the hill of the crochaire or hangman : it was a place of execution.

Knockdoo, Knockduff; see page 2.

Knockeen; little hill.

Knockfierna in Limerick; Cnoc-firinne, the hill of truth, or of truthful prediction; for it serves as a weather glass to the people of the circumjacent plains, who can predict whether the day will be wet or dry by the appearance of the summit in the morning.

Knockglass; Cnoc-glas, green hill.

Knockgorm; Cnoc-gorm, blue hill.

Knocklayd in Antrim; called from its shape Cnoc-leithid [lehid], the hill of breadth, i. e. broad hill.

Knocklofty in Tipperary; Cnoc-lochta, the lofted or shelving hill.

Knocklong in Limerick; Cnoc-luinge, the hill of the encampment; for Cormac mac Art encamped with his army, on this hill, when he invaded Munster in the third century.

Knockmanagh; middle hill.

Knockmealdown mountains; Cnoc-Maeldomhnaigh, Maeldowney's hill.

Knockmore; great hill.

Knockmoyle; Cnoc-mael, bald or bare hill.

Knockmullin; the hill of the mill.

Knocknaboley, Knocknabooly; the hill of the booley or dairy place.

Knocknacrohy; Cnoc-na-croiche, the hill of the gallows; a place of execution.

Knocknagapple, Knocknagappul; Cnoc na-gcapall, the hill of the horses.

Knocknagaul in Limerick; the hill of the Galls or foreigners.

Knocknageeha; the hill of the wind (gaeth).

Knocknagin; Cnoc-na-gceann [na-gan], the hill of the heads; a place of execution.

Knocknaglogh; the hill of the stones (cloch).

Knocknagore; the hill of the goats (gabhar).

Knocknahorna; the hill of the barley (eorna).

Knocknamona; the hill of the bog.

Knocknamuck; the hill of the pigs.

Knocknarea in Sligo; the hill of the executions. See Ardnarea.

Knocknaskagh, Knocknaskeagh; the hill of the sceachs or white thorn bushes.

Knockninny, a hill in Fermanagh, which gives name to a barony; Cnoc-Ninnidh [Ninny], the hill of St. Ninnidh, who was a contemporary of St. Columba.

Knockpatrick; Patrick's hill.

Knockraha, Knockrath, Knocknaraha; the hill of the rath or fort.

Knockranny; Cnoc-raithnigh [rahnee], ferny hill.

Knockrawer, Knockramer, Knockrower, Knockrour; Cnoc-reamhar [rawer or rower], fat or thick hill.

Knockreagh; grey hill.

Knockroe; red hill.

Knockshanbally; the hill of the old town.

Knocksouna near Kilmallock in Limerick; written in the Book of Lismore, Cnoc-Samhna [Souna], the hill of Samhuin [Sowan or Savin], the first of November, which was kept as a festival by the pagan Irish. See Origin and History of Irish Names of Places, p. 194.

Knocktemple; the hill of the temple or church.

Knocktopher in Kilkenny; see page 4.

Knoppoge, Knappoge; a little hill. See Knappagh.

Kyle; about half the names partly or wholly formed from Kyle, are from Cill, a church; the other half from Coill, a wood.

Kylebeg; small church or wood.

Kylemore; generally great wood (coill); sometimes great church (cill). Kylemore (lake) near the Twelve Pins in Connemara, is Coill-mhor, great wood.