Rúscaigh/Roosky

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Hierarchy

townland

Rúscaigh

genitive: Rúscaí

non-validated name (What is this?)

(Irish)

Roosky

(English)

Capitalise

Hierarchy

county

Dún na nGall/Donegal

barony

Inis Eoghain Thoir/Inishowen East

civil parish

Cluain Maine/Clonmany

electoral division

An tSráid/Straid

Explanatory note

Gaeilge

talamh gharbh, talamh le dromchla cosúil le rúsc

Thuairimigh Joyce in The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places (1910: I, 464) go raibh baint ag an eilimint rúscaigh leis an ainmfhocal riasc “Marsh; bogland, moor” (FGB). Is mó an seans, áfach, gur foirm shubstaintiúil den aidiacht rúscach “possessing bark, barky” (DIL); “Bark-like; (of skin) rough, wrinkled” (FGB) a bhíonn i gceist leis. B’fhéidir gur go samhlaíoch atá rúscaigh in úsáid sna logainmneacha, mar sin, chun brí amhail “talamh gharbh” a chur in iúl, bunaithe ar ghairbhe rúsc crainn. Ar an ábhar sin díol spéise is ea an míniú “rough pasture” a thug Seán Ó Donnabháin ar Rúscaigh/Roosky i barúntacht Chill Mhic Réanáin. Tá seacht gcinn de bhailte fearainn i gContae Dhún na nGall den ainm Rúscaigh. (CÓC, JÓG)
English

rough land, land with surface reminiscent of bark

In The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places (1910: I, 464), Joyce suggested that the element rúscaigh was related to the noun riasc “Marsh; bogland, moor” (FGB).. It seems more likely, however, that it is a substantive form of the adjective rúscach “possessing bark, barky” (DIL); “Bark-like; (of skin) rough, wrinkled” (FGB). It may be the case that rúscaigh is used in an imaginative sense in placenames with a meaning along the lines of “rough land”, an allusion to the rough texture of bark. In this context, it is worth noting that John O’Donovan interpreted the placename Rúscaigh/Roosky in the barony of Kilmacrenan as meaning “rough pasture”.
There are seven townlands by the name of Rúscaigh in County Donegal. (CÓC, JÓG)

Centrepoint

55.2446, -7.41232latitude, longitude

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Archival records

Historical references

1621	Rouskey	Inq. Ult. Leathanach: 11 Inquisitionum in Officio Rotulorum Cancellariae Hiberniae asservatarum Repertorium Áit foilsithe: Dublin, Bliain: 1829
1654	Rooskey	CS III Civil Survey III. Counties of Donegal, Londonderry and Tyrone. (ed. Simington, 1937) Bliain: 1654
1654	Rusky	CS III Leathanach: 2 Civil Survey III. Counties of Donegal, Londonderry and Tyrone. (ed. Simington, 1937) Bliain: 1654
1654	ye Quarter called Ruskey	CS III 2 Civil Survey III. Counties of Donegal, Londonderry and Tyrone. (ed. Simington, 1937) Bliain: 1654
1654	rooske quarter	CS III 14 Civil Survey III. Counties of Donegal, Londonderry and Tyrone. (ed. Simington, 1937) Bliain: 1654
1655-7	Rousky	DS Contae (DG) The Down Survey - The County Donagall Ar fáil: https://downsurvey.tchpc.tcd.ie/down-survey-maps.php
1659	Rusky	Cen. A census of Ireland, circa 1659: with supplementary material from the poll money ordinances (1660-1661), eag. S. Pender (1939) Bliain foilsithe: 1939, Údar: S. Pender, Áit foilsithe: Dublin
1660	Rooskey Ruskey	BSD (DG) Books of Survey and Distribution (Co. Donegal)
1661	Rouskie	Parsons Hollar Map (BM) Map of Inishowen, showing loughs Swilly and Foyle and the land around. 1661 Etching. Wenceslaus Hollar, Sir William Parsons. Leagan ó Mhusaem na Breataine / Copy from The British Museum. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_Q-6-140
1665	Rusky	HMR Hearth Money Roll
1669	Rouskie	Chic. Map 135 Lord Chichester's Map of the Inishowen peninsula
1812	Ruskey two ballyboes of land one calle Ballynaboe and the other called Ruskey	CGn. 650.220.446367 Clárlann na nGníomhas/Registry of Deeds Nóta: Tagraítear d'imleabhar, leathanach, gníomhas./Reference to volume, page, deed.
1827	Rouskey	TAB Tithe Composition (Applotment) Book (imleabhair lámhscríofa ó c. 1830 atá ar coimeád sa Chartlann Náisiúnta) Bliain: 1824–40, Nóta: Go minic, tugtar ainm an pharóiste, nó eolas eile i gcolún na nótaí.
1830	Ruskey	BS:AL Boundary Surveyor c. 1830 as AL / Ordnance Survey Parish Namebooks. Bliain: 1830
1830	Rúsgaidh	OD:AL O'Donovan (leagan Gaeilge de logainm nó nóta agus é scríofa le dúch; John O’Donovan / Seán Ó Donnabháin a scríobh de ghnáth), ex AL. A note or an Irish form of a placename in the Ordnance Survey Parish Namebooks, usually written by John O'Donovan. Bliain: 1830-40, Bliain: 1835, Bliain: 1838

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.