Dáta: 22/05/2024

Níl aon radharc is mó a ardaíonn croíthe daoine le linn an tsamhraidh ná an sceach gheal agus í faoi bhláth go lonrach gléigeal ó cheann ceann na tíre — is maith mar atá a leasainm bláth bán na Bealtaine tuillte aici! (Tá áilleacht dá chuid féin ag baint leis an luibh eile úd lus buí Bealtaine .i. Brl. marsh-marigold .i. Caltha palustris, ach sin scéal eile.) Agus faoi mar a bhíonn an sceach féin le feiscint go rábach ar fud na tíre an taca seo den bhliain, is raidhsiúil mar eilimint í in ainmneacha bailte fearainn chomh maith — thart ar 200 sampla ar an iomlán. Tá an bhrí chéanna le Achadh na Sceach/Aghnaskea (#33241) i gContae an Longfoirt is atá le Gort na Sceach/Gortnaskeagh i gContaetha Chiarraí (#22982) agus Liatroma (#29856), ar ndóigh .i. “the field of the hawthorns”. Agus díol spéise na haistriúcháin scaoilte a rinneadh ar Cnoc na Sceach “the hill of the hawthorns” (#8762) i gContae Chorcaí, mar Thornhill, agus ar Machaire na Sceach “the plain, field of the hawthorns” (#28712) i gContae Laoise, mar Bushfield — brí thánaisteach le sceach is ea “thorn-bush”. Leathaistriúchán den saghas céanna faoi ndear Bushypark a dhéanamh de Páirc na Sceach “the park of the hawthorns” (#18670) i gContae na Gaillimhe — ach is cosúil gur ainm de bhunús Béarla é Bushypark eile i gContae Chill Dara (#25159). Is cosúil gur baineadh úsáid as an ainm Béarla céanna sin Bushypark mar leathaistriúchán ar Scairt an Arbha “the thicket of the grain” (#10400) i gContae Chorcaí, siúd is nach raibh baint dá laghad ag an logainm Gaeilge leis an sceach.
Ní miste aird speisialta a tharraingt anseo ar dhá logainm i gContae Loch Garman ina bhfuil an eilimint sceach (gin. u. sceiche) le fáil, mar atá Sceach Moling/Scaughmolin “the hawthorn of Saint Moling” (#54320) agus Cnoc Sceiche Moling/Knockskemolin “the hill of the hawthorn of Saint Moling” (#53289). Baineann siad seo le tacar beag d’ainmneacha bailte fearainn sa Chontae Riabhach ina bhfuil an naomh dúchasach Moling luaite le crainn. Sa ghrúpa seo freisin tá Muine Moling/Monamolin “the thicket of Moling”, a bhfuil dhá shampla den ainm céanna le fáil agus iad suite 60km slí óna chéile: is iad sin, ainm baile fearainn gar do Ráth an Iúir, lastuaidh de Ros Mhic Thriúin (#53556), agus ainm baile fearainn (agus paróiste dlí) gar do Bhaile Uí Chonnmhaí, laisteas de Ghuaire (#1411737). Féach an sliocht seo a leanas as Logainmneacha na hÉireann IV: Ainmneacha na mbailte fearainn, Co. Loch Garman (2016) lgh. 1209–1210 (arna fhoilsiú ag an mBrainse Logainmneacha/Placenames Branch ag an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán [mar atá anois]):
Moling, bishop of Ferns diocese in the seventh century, is the eponym of the parish names ST. MULLIN'S (par.) and MONAMOLIN (par.), as well as the townlands of MONAMOLIN (par. Templeludigan) and SCAUGHMOLIN (par. Rathaspick). The generic elements sceach “hawthorn” (see de Vál, 1987 p.56) and muine “thicket, brushwood” in these names may originate in the saint’s association with Suibhne Geilt “Suibhne the madman” in Irish literary tradition. Suibhne, driven mad by the terror of battle, resorted to roaming and living wild in trees and hedges. After an encounter with Saint Moling he began to visit his monastery for food each evening after his travels (see ITS xii). This legend seems to have generated the notion of a particular sceach “hawthorn” or muine “thicket”, where Suibhne could sleep, in the environs of Moling’s foundations. Note that Kilnamanagh, the parish in which this townland [Knockskemolin] is located, was also dedicated to Moling (see Culleton, 1999 p.211; cf. RATHASPICK, par.).

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

• Cnoc na Sceach/Thornhill
• Scairt an Arbha/Bushypark
• Páirc na Sceach/Bushypark
• Gort na Sceach/Gortnaskeagh
• Páirc na Sceach/Bushypark
• Machaire na Sceach/Bushfield or Maghernaskeagh
• Gort na Sceach/Gortnaskeagh
• Achadh na Sceach/Aghnaskea
• Cnoc Sceiche Moling/Knockskemolin
• Muine Moling/Monamolin
• Sceach Moling/Scaughmolin
• Muine Moling/Monamolin

Breis téamaí