field of (the) cow(s)

Cainneach Osraí an naomh a luaitear leis an bparóiste seo. Seo ceann de na logainmneacha is sine fianaise Ghaeilge i gCo. Laoise: tá tagairtí ann dó a théann chomh fada siar leis an 6ú haois sna hAnnála, m.sh. 516 ‘Caindech Achaidh bó’ in Annála Thighearnaigh. Foirm shioctha den tuiseal tabharthach nó den logthuiseal is cúis leis an séimhiú ar thúschonsan bó de réir dealraimh.

Is sa pharóiste seo a bhuail beirt shean-Ghaeilgeoirí le Pádraig Ó Caoimh na Suirbhéireachta Ordanáis sa bhliain 1838. Is fiú a chuntas ar a gcanúint a chur anseo ina iomláine:

On yesterday [.i. Dé Luain, 19 Samhain 1838] I commenced the work of the Queen’s County by visiting the Parish of Aghaboe, where with much ado, I made out two old men who could speak Irish, at least when young, could do so with ease. From these I got the Irish pronunciation of some of the names of the Townlands in the Parish, in which the language has now almost disappeared.

Their pronunciation resembled that of the northern part of the Co. of Kilkenny, one of the greatest peculiarities being the pronouncing of r slender almost like zh or z in azure; thus the Irish name of the Town of Borris in Ossory, Buizhiais (recte Buirghes); b and m aspirated even when broad are pronounced like v in the beginning of words; bh is sunk in the end of some words, as garbh (rough) pron. gara. Other peculiarities will appear in the pronunciation of the townlands as given in the Name Book.

If these things were not observed now, they would remain probably for ever unknown, as a few years will see the Irish language completely extinct in this part of the country. Even at present we cannot expect to find a person in every Parish who can speak the language..."

—Litreacha na Suirbhéireachta Ordanáis I 1