BROWSE
townland
An Bhá Nua
genitive: na Bá Nua
(Irish)
Newbay
(English)

Glossary

English bay
English new

Explanatory note

  • English

    Bay can be explained as meaning, among other things, “a recess of land, partly surrounded by hills” (see BAYLAND, par. Ferns), which would certainly be an apt designation here.

    That said, a number of independent attestations appear to reflect Hiberno-English bawn (< bábhún) “an enclosure” (7, 12, 13, 17), which may suggest that bay had been used as a synonym for bawn, referring to some feature connected with the castle that once stood here (see AIW 1606). (Cf. NEWBAWN, par.)

    The Irish form of the name is a translation.

    [It has recently been argued, with merit, that the meaning “a recess of land, partly surrounded by hills” is somewhat undermined by the fact that the use of the term ‘new’ with a topographical feature would be very unusual. An alternative derivation of bay from Old Norse bœr “farm settlement” has been suggested ([details to be added]), but this would be linguistically problematic. Furthermore, the word bay was doubtless in productive use in the English toponymy of Wexford, apparently in reference to an enclosure of sorts: see for example ‘Walls and garden comonly [sic] called the Hay Bay in the parish of Selskars’ (CGn. 65.377.45964). The meaning of bay implied here might explain its earlier confusion with the term bawn “an enclosure” as seen in the evidence for this place-name, e.g. ‘Newbane alias Newbay’. It therefore remains most likely that Newbay is a place-name of Anglo-Norman origin. In the absence of unambiguous evidence to indicate earlier derivation it would be methodologically unsound to infer Norse settlement from such a name.]

    [Excerpt from Logainmneacha na hÉireann IV: Townland Names of County Wexford, 2016, with additional material in square brackets [ ].]

Centrepoint

52.3286, -6.51383latitude, longitude
Irish Grid (with letter)
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Irish Grid (without letter)
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Irish Transverse Mercator (ITM)
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Historical references

1540
Newbaa (Priory of Selskar V.V. )
Patrick Roche
Ir. Mon. Poss. Leathanach: 368
1542
Newabay (Parker)
F Alt: 343
1542
Newebay...Newbaye (Pat. FitzNicholas Roche)
Hore Imleabhar: V, Leathanach: 153
1546
Newbay
Pardon of Odon, otherwise Effe O’Dorron of Newbay, in the county of Wexford, husbandman.-For a fine of £6 13s. 4d.—Oct. 23, 37° (118)
CPCR
1547
Newbay (Parker)
F Alt: 19
1551c
Newbaa (Parker)
F Alt: 771
1553c
Newbaie (Nicholas Roche)
F Alt: 1251
1558-9
Newbay (Pat. Roche)
Forth Bar. Leathanach: 82
1561
Newbaye
Hore Imleabhar: V, Leathanach: 172
1562
Newbay
F Alt: 417
1564
Nubay
656 (4:36). Pardon to Ullick Roche, Theobald Roche, Nicholas Roche, Walter Roche fitz William, and John Roche fitz Thomas, late of Nubay, kern. Consideration as in 034.—18 May, vi. (F 656)
F
1577
Newbaune
Philp Roche fitz Patrick ( luaite i measc scata Gael a bhí ag freastal ar Nicholas Sinnott, siorriam an chontae.)
F Alt: 2976
1601
Newbay ? (Rich. Fitz Hamyn)
F Alt: 6541
1609
Newbie (Rob. Roche)
CPR Leathanach: 133a
1612
Newbay (Philip Roche)
CPR Leathanach: 221
1624
? Newbane (Marc Deveroux, Walt. Browne)
Inq. Lag. Alt: 47 J I
1628
Newbay(Phil. Roch)
Inq. Lag. Alt: 27 C I
1638
Newebay (Nic. Roche)
Inq. Lag. Alt: 124 C I
1641
Newbay (Walt. Bryan, Phil. Roche))
Inq. Lag. Alt: 154 C I
1659
Newbay
Cen. Leathanach: 533
1660c
Newbane (John Roch)
BSD (LG) Imleabhar: (CS IX), Leathanach: 69 (299)
1663
Newbay (John Roch, George Cheevers)
Inq. Lag. Alt: 3 C II
1667
Newbane alias Newbay (Rich. Nunn)
ASE Leathanach: 82
1685c
Newbane
Hib. Del.
1688
Newbay (Thom. Scott)
Will Abstrs. Leathanach: 322
1830c
New Bay
TAB Imleabhar: 11
1840
"Sometimes called 'Newbane'." [Nóta]
Hore, H.:AL (LG)
1840
New Bay
TAB:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 11
1840
Newbane
Hore, H.:AL (LG)
1840
Newbay
BS:AL Imleabhar: I, Leathanach: 11
1840
Newbay
Cleary, J.:AL (LG) Paróiste Pheadair Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 11
1840
Newbay
CM:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 11
1840
Newbay
CM:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 11
1840
Newbay
GJP:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 11
1840
Newbay
Kellit, W.:AL (LG)
1840
Newbay
OD:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach (AL): 11
1840
Newbay
Robinson, J. K., Rev.:AL (LG)
1840
Newbay
Waddy, C.:AL (LG)

Please note: Some of the documentation from the archives of the Placenames Branch is available here. It indicates the range of research contributions undertaken by the Branch on this placename over the years. It may not constitute a complete record, and evidence may not be sequenced on the basis of validity. It is on this basis that this material is made available to the public.

Archival and research material provided on this site may be used, subject to acknowledgement. Issues regarding republication or other permissions or copyright should be addressed to logainm@dcu.ie.

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