Hierarchy
county
barony
municipal district
civil parish
electoral division
townland
Other names
Hierarchy
county
barony
municipal district
civil parish
electoral division
Explanatory note
- Gaeilge
Cill Uí Dhónaill
the church of Ó Dónaill
Ó Dónaill – sloinne
Ainmneacha Stairiúla:
Cill Ó dTomhrair
the church of the Uí Thomhrair?; the church of the Ó Tomhrairs?
Uí Thomhrair – ainm treabhchais
Ó Tomhrair – sloinne
Cill Ó dTónair
the church of the Uí Thónair; the church of the Ó Tónairs
Ó Tónair – foirm mhalartach de Ó Tomhrair
Láthair eaglasta de chuid na bProinsiasach a bhí anseo. Fuair na bráithre Proinsiacha Diarmaid Ó Doirnín (?Dermit Idurnyn) agus Diarmaid Mac Giolla Easpaig (Dermit Megillacsbuig) cead ón Phápa le heaglais a thógáil in Kyllotomnayr sa bhliain 1471 (Calendar of Papal Letters, 12, 643). Léiríonn an logainm féin go raibh láthair eaglasta ann roimhe sin áfach.
I Leabhar Mór na nGenealach, luann Mac Fhirbhisigh ‘Ua Comrair (nó Tomrair)’ faoi Chinéal Bhinnigh Thulaigh Óg (‘Cinéul mBinnigh Tulcha Óg’), brainse de Chineál Eoghain (142.4). I nginealas Chinéal Bhinnigh Thulaigh Óg luaitear Fothadh na Canóine, fear eaglasta tábhachtach san ochtú agus sa naoú haois a bhí ina Easpag i bhFathain in Inis Eoghain. Seans, mar sin, go raibh baint ag Uí Thomhrair le cúrsaí eaglasta, ach ní féidir iad a cheangal go cinnte leis an láthair eaglasta seo atá trasna na Súilí ó Inis Eoghain i dTír Chonaill.
Is léir gur tháinig claochlú ar an ainm ó Cill Ó dTomhrair/Cill Ó dTónair go dtí Cill Uí Dhónaill ag pointe éigin. Cé go bhféadfadh an t-athrú seo, go háithrithe ó Ó dTónair > Ó Dónaill > Uí Dhónaill a shamhlú go héasca ó thaobh na teangeolaíochta de, is mó an seans gur cúinsí staire ba chúis leis an athrú sa chás seo. Is amhlaidh go raibh dlúthbhaint ag an láthair eaglasta seo le muintir Uí Dhónaill, an dream a raibh an lámh in uachtar acu i dTír Chonaill ó na meánaoiseanna deireanacha anuas go dtí imeacht na nIarlaí. Sa bhliain 1538 fuair Aodh Buí Ó Dónaill, ábhar tiarna, bás ar an láthair seo tar éis dó comaoin agus sacraimint a fháil (‘Aodh Buidhe Ua Domhnaill mac Aodha mic Aodha Ruaidh, ádhbhar tighearna Thíre Conaill... do écc hi cCill ó tTomhrair iar ccomain, 7 Shacramen’ , Annála Ríoghachta Éireann, V, 1448). Chomh maith leis sin, is san áit seo a bhí An Calbhach Ó Dónaill, tiarna Thír Chonaill ag stopadh nuair a fhuadaigh Seán Ó Néill, tiarna Uí Néill é agus a bhean chéile in 1559 (Annála Ríoghachta Éireann, V, 1574). Bhí bráithre san áit fós in 1601 (Calendar of State Papers, 1600-1601, 277). (JÓG, Meitheamh 2026)
- English
the church of Ó Dónaill
Ó Dónaill – surname
Historical Names:
Cill Ó dTomhrair
the church of the Uí Thomhrair?; the church of the Ó Tomhrairs?
Uí Thomhrair – sept name
Ó Tomhrair – surname
Cill Ó dTónair
the church of the Uí Thónair; the church of the Ó Tónairs
Ó Tónair – alternative form of Ó Tomhrair
This was an ecclesiastical site associated with the Franciscan order. In the year 1471 the Franciscan brothers Dermit Idurnyn (Diarmaid Ó Doirnín?) and Dermit Megillacsbuig (Diarmaid Mac Giolla Easpaig) were given licence by the Pope to erect a church at Kyllotomnayr (Calendar of Papal Letters, 12, 643). The placename itself however indicates that it was already an ecclesiastical site.
In Leabhar Mór na nGenealach, Mac Fhirbhisigh mentions ‘Ua Comrair (nó Tomrair)’ under ‘Cinéul mBinnigh Tulcha Óg’ a branch of the Cineál Eoghain dynasty (142.4). The genealogy of ‘Cinéul mBinnigh Tulcha Óg’ mentions as part of their number an important churchman of the eighth and ninth centuries named Fothadh na Canóine, who was bishop of Fahan in Inishowen. It seems then that Uí Thomhrair may have had ecclesiastical connections, but they can’t be connected with this site on the other side of Loch Swilly from Inishowen to any degree of certainty.
This placename clearly developed from its original form Cill Ó dTomhrair/Cill Ó dTónair to Cill Uí Dhónaill at some point. This change, especially from Ó dTónair > Ó Dónaill > Uí Dhónaill could easily be explained from a linguistic point of view, however, it seems more likely that the change is related to historical factors in this case. Indeed, the Ó Dónaills, who were dominant in Tír Chonaill from the later medieval period up until the flight of the Earls, seem to have had a strong association with this ecclesiastical site. In 1538 Aodh Buí Ó Dónaill, heir to the lordship of Tír Chonaill (‘Aodh Buidhe Ua Domhnaill mac Aodha mic Aodha Ruaidh, ádhbhar tighearna Thíre Conaill’) died there after receiving ‘Communion and Extreme Unction’ (Annála Ríoghachta Éireann, V, 1448,1449 (translation)). Additionally, An Calbhach Ó Dónaill, lord of Tír Chonaill was quartered here when he and his wife were captured by Seán Ó Néill in 1551 (Annála Ríoghachta Éireann, V, 1574). There were still friars on the site in 1601 (Calendar of State Papers, 1600-1601, 277). (JÓG, June 2026)
Centrepoint
Historical references
| 1471 |
Kyllotomnayr
To the dean of Raphoe. Mandate, if the facts be as stated by them, to grant to Dermit Idurnyn and Dermit Megillacsbuig, brothers of the Third Order of St. Francis, called the Order of Penance, licence to erect (fn. 6) the place of Kyllotomnayr in the diocese of Raphoe, belonging to the brethren of the said Order in Ireland, into a house of that Order, with church, bell-tower, cemetery, cloister, dormitory, refectory, gardens, orchards, (fn. 7) and other necessary offices. In the event of the above dean's granting such licence, the pope hereby grants indult to all the brethren of the said Order who shall dwell in the said house to enjoy all papal and other privileges, immunities etc., which have been granted to the said Order and its houses.
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CPL Leathanach: 12 643
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| 1538 |
hi ccill ó ttomhrair
Aodh Buidhe Ua Domhnaill .... do écc hi ccill ó ttomhrair
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ARÉ Leathanach: V 1448
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| 1538 |
a ccill O dTónair
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ALC ii 314
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| 1559 |
hi ccill o ttomhrair
Bá hánn baoi an calbhach an tan sin hi ccill o ttomhrair
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ARÉ V 1574
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| 1601 |
the abbey of Killodonnell
Three miles above Ramaltan, upon the Lough side of the bay is the abbey of Killodonnell, in Hugh McHugh Duff's country. Here dwell only friars.
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CSP 1600-1601, 277
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| 1609 |
Killodonell
a monasterie and three quarters of land thereunto belonginge, named Killodonell
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| 1617 |
Cill dTonaire ar bruach na suilidhe
A dtir Chonaill... Cill dTonaire ar bruach na suilidhe
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Prov.Hib. 103
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| 1654 |
Killadonnell
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CS III Leathanach: 99
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| 1654 |
Killidonell
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CS III Leathanach: 98
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| 1654 |
Old Abbey called Killidonnell
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CS III Leathanach: 98
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| 1659 |
Killdonnell
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Cen. Leathanach: 55
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| 1665 |
Killidonnell
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| 1766 |
Killydonnel
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| 1782 |
the Abby Lands of Lower Killydonnell
the Abby Lands of Lower Killydonnell adjoining the lands beforementioned and thenin the occupation of the widow Gallagher and others.
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CGn. 340.575.232033: Vaughan and Brook to Stewart
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| 1819 |
Killydonnel
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| 1829 |
Cill O'Dhonell 'O'Donnell's abbey'
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| 1829 |
Killydonnell
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| 1835 |
Cill Ua dtomhrair 'chill of the O Tomhrairs'
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| 1835 |
Cill Uí Domhnaill 'Ecclesia O'Donelli is the local name'
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| 2011 |
Ceall Ua dTomhrair
'(Ch of Uí Thomhrair) Eccl. site in tl. Killydonnell, p. Auighnish, b. Kilmacrenan'
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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.
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