BROWSE
townland
Sealtún Mór
genitive: Shealtún Mór
(Irish)
Hilltown Great
(English)

Explanatory note

  • Gaeilge

    Sealtún — gaelú dúchasach ar Brl. Hilltown “the town of the hill”

    Bíodh is go bhfuil an sloinne Angla-Normannach Hill fianaithe i measc na Sean-Ghall sa Mhí, is léir gurb é an t-ainmfhocal hill atá sa logainm seo. De ghnáth, bheifí ag siúl le haistriúchán simplí cosúil le *Baile an Chnoic — sin é a bhí in úsáid sa 19ú haois ag lucht na Gaeilge i bf Hilltown (#51360), Co. na hIarmhí, mar shampla. Ach tá corr sa scéal ó thaobh na logainmneacha seo Hilltown Great agus Hilltown Little in aice le Baile an Bheileogaigh/Bellewstown i gCo. na Mí. Is iad na leaganacha Gaeilge a breacadh síos i bpeann luaidhe viva voce ó na cainteoirí dúchais sa pharóiste seo sa 19ú haois ná ‘Sealton’ agus ‘Seallton Beag’, faoi seach. ‘Sealton Beag’ litriú eile a scríobh Tomás Ó Conchúir, duine de na scoláirí a bhí fostaithe ag an tSuirbhéireacht Ordanáis, i ndúch san Ainmleabhar céanna.

    Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach a aithint nach ‘cadhan aonair’ iad na leaganacha seo ‘Sealton’ agus ‘Seallton Beag’: is amhlaidh a tharla an gaelú céanna ar chúpla logainm eile sa pharóiste seo fosta .i. Caulstown, Gaulstown agus Lunderstown. Thug lucht Gaeilge na háite ‘Galaston’, ‘Gallastan’ agus ‘Lundarston’, faoi seach, ar na mbailte fearainn seo. Ní ‘botúin’ iad na leaganacha seo ach samplaí den ghaelú dúchasach ar logainmneacha Béarla a bhfuil a macasamhail le feiceáil in áiteanna eile in oirthear na tíre, mar a raibh Gaeilgeoirí agus Béarlóirí na Páile ar ghualainn a chéile ar feadh na gcéadta bliain. Cuir i gcás Mooretown > Múrtún (An Mhí); Fieldstown > Fileastún (Lú); Sheephouse > Síopús (An Mhí). (Cf. samplaí eile as lámhscríbhinní Gaeilge ar nós Broadleas > ‘Bhroiléith’ [gen.] (Cill Dara) ag deireadh an 18ú haois, agus Woodstock > ‘Bodastoic’ (Cill Dara) i lámhscríbhinn ó 1548.

    Féach an nóta eolais seo a leanas atá le fáil ag an iontráil faoi Gaultown/Gallastún (#38399), atá suite sa pharóiste céanna:

    Is struchtúr an-chomónta i gCo. na Mí é an téarma lonnaíochta Angla-Normannach -tūn (-town ní ba dhéanaí) á cháiliú le hainm pearsanta nó le sloinne. Uaireanta, in ionad logainmneacha Béarla a aistriú go Gaeilge (m.sh. Baile an Chrúisigh/Cruicetown), tá fianaise ann gur cuireadh logainmneacha áirithe Béarla in oiriúint do chóras fóinéimeach na Gaeilge le hathréimniú na teanga (ón 14ú haois amach). Is sampla den ghaelú sin atá sa logainm seo: ‘Galestowne’ (1569), ‘Gallston’ (1569), ‘Gallestowne’ (1654), ‘Gallaston na gcrann, baile gann gortach’, scríofa le peann luaidhe san Ainmleabhar (1836), ‘Gallastan’ i ndúch (1836)...

    Is cosúil gurbh é an próiseas a tharla sa chás seo, ná gur gaelaíodh Hilltown mar *Hioltún nó a léithéid an chéad lá, gur fhorbair an túslitir S- ar an múnla atá le feiceáil i bhfocail a bhfuil an túslitir s- acu sa tuiseal ainmneach agus an túslitir sh- (foghraithe /h/), sa tuiseal ginideach. Tá a leithéid le feiceáil san fhianaise do Ballyhack i Loch Garman ina bhfuil samplaí cosúil le ‘Baile Shac’ le fáil i lámhscríbhinn Gaeilge ón 19ú aois: is léir gur tuigeadh gur thosaigh an dara mír le S-, ach is cinnte gurb é an t-ainm Hack atá taobh thiar de (Logainmneacha na hÉireann IV: Townland Names of Co. Wexford, Iml. I, lch.325). Tá a mhalairt de fhorbairt, de réir dealraimh, le feiceáil san fhianaise do Holdenstown/Baile Shealtúin (#54600) (Cill Mhantáin) a bhfuil an sloinne Chilton/Shelton ann ó bhunús, gur chaill an logainm an túslitir S- (nó Ch-) nuair a athbhéarlaíodh é de bharr an /h/ sa tuiseal ginideach sa Ghaeilge (‘Sheletonestone alias Ballyhalton’ (1587)).

    Cibé ar bith, is léir ón fhianaise nár ghlaoigh lucht Gaeilge an cheantair seo *Baile an Chnoic ar an áit seo riamh, ach ‘Sealton [Mór]’ agus ‘Sealton Beag’, ainm is féidir a chaighdeánú mar Sealtún Mór agus Sealtún Beag. Tá na leaganacha inspéise seo ar aon ghuth le fianaise dá leithéid in áiteanna eile in oirthear na tíre, go háithrid i gContae Lú agus i gContae na Mí féin.

    Dá bharr sin is é an leagan Gaeilge atá molta do Hilltown RoadBóthar Shealtúin.

Centrepoint

53.6506, -6.34616latitude, longitude
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Historical references

1540-1
Hilton
(John Haggan)
Ir. Mon. Poss.
1540c
Hyltons
Poss…Monasterium Sancti Nich…iuxta Excester…Rectoria ecclesie parochialis de Duleke… <br> Villata de Platen Caleston…Carenston, Gafney, Beamond, Hyltons, Bedleston, Angelston, Kernes, Lonnderston, Johnston, Skaternaggh, Cussyngston, Magna Ryverston, Parva Ryverston, Bolyes, Kenok, the Denys, Athcarne, Gallyston, Malaghsene, Kellyston et Parapach, Drommyn, Rathyll, Gellynston, Garblagh, Gasconston, Bowanson, Corbally, Longford, Newton, Balferne, Knokkyllan, Londerston et Kenok Crown Survey 27, 32, 33
Crown Surv.
1551
the Hilton, within the parish of Duleke
and in Duleeke, Kyllyston, Corbalye, O’Kebride, Glanluske, and the Hilton, within the parish of Duleke, in the county of Meath CPCR (Morrin) 234 Belles 227. Will of Nicholas Bellewe, of the Weston, besyde the Nall; reciting that by deed, dated 14th Dec, 26° Henry VIII., he enfeofi'ed Richard Talbote, of Dublin, Richard Bellewe, Nicholas More, and Davie Bryce, of Dublin, Mathew Bathe, of Bethelyston, and Nicholas Pypparde, Vicar of Clonalan, in all the lands and tenements which he possessed in the Weston besyde the Nall, a watermill there, the lands of Clomethane, Oldtowne by Clomethanc, Newlande, Kyl maynan, and possessions in the city of Dublin; and in Duleeke, Kyllyston, Corbalye, O’Kebride, Glanluske, and the Hilton, within the parish of Duleke, in the county of Meath
CPCR
1561
Hilton
(Nicholas Bellew. Richard Bellew, his brother)
CPCR
1569
Hilton (Both villages of ...)
Lease … to Francis Agarde, esq.; of land by Horrock and Woodwye, land by Carreston, in Platyn, and in Newton, co. Meath, 5s. chief rent, out of the lands of Robert Plunket, knt., in Dromyn, a moiety of Rathallen, the rectory of Dulicke, extending to Dulicke, Platten, Calleston, Carenston, half of Gafney, Beamond, both villages of Hilton, Bedelston, Angelston, both villages of Kernes, Lounderston, Johnston, Scaternaghe, Cusshington, great Riverston, little Riverston, both towns of Bolles, Kenaugh, Dennys, Athekerne, Galestowne, Malaughefen, Gilbeston, Perapache, Dromyn, Rathyll, Gillingston, Carblaughe, Gasconstone, Dowanston, Corbally, Longford, Newton, Balserne, Knockillan … F 1480
F
1620
Hilton
Grant…to sir Garrett Moore, knt…lord baron of Mellifont…Beomonde with the villages of Hilton... CPR 461-2
CPR
1640
much Hilton, Little Hilton
Thom. Hamlyn de Smithestowne...ad us' Rob. Talbott...much Hilton, Beaumon & Newhaggard...360a... 20a de Little Hilton vocat' Sarsfield's land...18a de little Hilton vocat' Eustace's land...1636 Rob. Talbott obiit, little Hilton...much hilton tenet de Christ' Bellew. CI 146.
Inq.
1654
Great Hilton
Richard Talbott (190a). 18.
CS V
1654
Litle Hiltowne...bounded by Greathillton...
Sr Chris. Bellew, Ir. Pap. 35a. 19
CS V
1655-7
Great hilltowne, Litle Hill==town
DS
1660c
Hilltowne, Great; Hilltowne, Little
31
BSD
1668
Great Hiltowne
Major SEAFOULE GIBSON. - Great Hiltowne, 219 a....Beamount (part), 112 a...Oughstone, 64 a...Laganhall (part), with part of Cloudstowne, 58 a... bar. Duleeke, co. 178
ASE
1685c
Hilltowne
Hib. Del.
1836
Great Hilltown
BS:AL Leathanach: Mí036,32
1836
Great Hillstown
GJRates (Old Docket): AL Leathanach: Mí036,32
1836
Great Hilltown
TAB Leathanach: Mí036,32
1836
Great Hillstown
HCSV:AL Leathanach: Mí036,32
1836
Greate Hilltowne
DS:AL Leathanach: Mí036,32
1836
Sealton
OC:AL Leathanach: Mí036,32
1836
Sealton
pl:AL Leathanach: Mí036,32
1836
Hilltown
OD:AL Leathanach: Mí036,32

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