Hierarchy
county
barony
civil parish
townland
Explanatory note
- English
The overall evidence for Rathnedan broadly supports derivation from Ráth an Éadain as suggested in BPP (p.81), which is not dissimilar to O’Donovan’s ‘Rath n-éadain’ [Ráth nÉadain] (14). However, the ultimate etymology is uncertain.
The earliest attestation ‘Reyngadañ’ (1) and the much later, independently attested ‘Rathgodan’ (3a) could be taken to suggest a precursor with a final element in initial gh-. Certainly the alternating penultimate a- and o- found in ‘Reyngadañ’ (1) and ‘Rathgodan’ (3a, 5a) suggests a different origin to that of Rathnedan in which the penultimate vowel seems to be from a long é /eː/. (Cf. Attigoddaun/Áit Tí Geadáin, GY.)
Despite the apparent presence of the element ráth in this place-name, no ringfort or similar structure has been recorded here and it is difficult to identify a potential site in this small townland (see archaeology.ie). It is therefore possible that the first part of the name is a corruption of another word, and the fifteenth-century spelling ‘Reyng-’ (1) may perhaps represent original rinn “headland”.
[Excerpt from Logainmneacha na hÉireann IV: Townland Names of County Wexford, 2016]
Centrepoint
Historical references
1461–1483 |
Balyyodañ...Ballylathlauere (ligature)...Ballyfolañ, Ballyolaghty, Balylauerite (Ligature), Ballyboy, Reyngadañ, Inchecoloñ...Balylayghone ...Clonloghir...Rethañ.. Shanecros en Tillaghdonañ... (davy Ketyng, John le fitz de William Seint John )
|
Statute Rolls Ire. Ed. IV Leathanach: 778
|
1641c |
Rathnedan (Rowl. Scurlocke)
|
BSD (LG) Imleabhar: (CS IX), Leathanach: 79 (302)
|
1654 |
Rathneden
|
CS (LG) Leathanach: 302
|
1655c |
Rathnedan
|
|
1667 |
Rathnedane als Rathgodan (Will. Barker, Paul Alfrey)
|
ASE Leathanach: 112
|
1669 |
Rathnedan (Anglesey)
|
ASE Leathanach: 202
|
1690c |
Rathnedane als Rathgodane (Paul Aulfry)
|
Quit Rent (LG) Leathanach: 31a
|
1801 |
Rathnedane ows. Rathnedine (Richards-Chamberlain)
|
CGn. Imleabhar: 545, Leathanach: 245, Uimhir: 359179
|
1830c |
Rathanaden
|
TAB Leathanach: 3
|
1840 |
Rath n-éadain, 'fort of the brow of the hill'
|
OD:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach (AL): 31
|
1840 |
Rathnadan
|
DS Ref.:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 31
|
1840 |
Rathneaden
|
GJP:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 31
|
1840 |
Rathnedan
|
DS Map:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 31
|
1840 |
Rathnedan
|
OD:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach (AL): 31
|
1840 |
Rathnedane
|
Patent 1667:AL (LG) Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 31
|
1840 |
Rathneedan
|
|
1840 |
Rathneedon
|
BS:AL Imleabhar: I, Leathanach: 31
|
1840 |
Rathniedon
|
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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