BROWSE
townland
Baile Goileaic
genitive: Bhaile Goileaic
non-validated name (What is this?)
(Irish)
Ballygullick
(English)

Glossary

English townland, town, homestead

Explanatory note

  • English

    (the) town(land) of —?

    The evidence for this anglicised place-name clearly reflects derivation from generic baile followed by a word similar in shape to golac/goileac, golag/goileag or goileaig/goileaic.

    It is difficult to determine the quality of the consonant -l- in the final element, but on balance spellings such as ‘-guillick’ (2a, 10) suggest that it was palatal (slender). The earliest example (1) suggests a final -g in the Irish precursor, as in the Irish suffix -óg, but all other examples point to a final -ck, as in -ac, which may indicate ultimate derivation from the Anglo-Norman hypocoristic suffix -ock (see BALLYCLEMOCK (#53511), par. Newbawn). The qualifying element of Ballygullick could therefore be interpreted as a gaelicised form of an Anglo-Norman name, e.g. Baile Goileac or Baile Goileaic (cf. Ballyshonock/Baile Sheonaic (#49829) in Waterford). This may represent a gaelicised form of Goodlake, Goodluck, Gullick (see Reaney, 1970 pp.140–1), a surname attested among the Anglo-Normans in Ireland (e.g. ‘David Gowelok’, SRI Edw. p.225). The name is also found in Wexford, but not until 1662 when a ‘Thos. Gullocke’ (Hore v p.335) is mentioned in connection with Wexford Town. It is not clear whether this person was a Cromwellian newcomer or a resident of earlier Anglo-Norman extraction.

    It is interesting to note that Reaney (1970, pp.140–1) also proposes that some forms of the surname Gullick may be derived from the Old Norse name Guðleikr. Given that Gullick is not attested in Wexford at an early date, it is plausible that the final element in Ballygullick might be a rare example of an Old Norse (borrowed) personal name in a Wexford place-name. On the other hand, if -gullick is of Anglo-Norman origin, the fact that this Irish-language place-name must have been generated subsequent to the colonisation of South Wexford would provide evidence for an Irish community which continued to thrive for some time after the Anglo-Norman invasion.

    [Excerpt from Logainmneacha na hÉireann IV: Townland Names of County Wexford, 2016]

Centrepoint

52.2187, -6.48158latitude, longitude
Irish Grid (with letter)
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Irish Grid (without letter)
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Irish Transverse Mercator (ITM)
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Historical references

1461–1483
Ballygoloyge (ligature) (davy Ketyng, John le fitz de William Seint John )
Statute Rolls Ire. Ed. IV Leathanach: 778
1630
Balleguillick
Inq. Lag. Leathanach: 55
1631
Ballegolick
Inq. Lag. Leathanach: 55
1631
Ballegolick (Edm. Synnot)
Inq. Lag. Alt: 55 C I
1631
balleguillick (Edm. Synnot)
Inq. Lag. Alt: 55 C I
1654
Ballygollick
CS (LG) Leathanach: 303
1654
Ballegollick and Lingistowne
CS (LG) Imleabhar: IX, Leathanach: 125
1654
Balligollick
CS (LG) Imleabhar: IX, Leathanach: 128
1655c
Ballygolick
DS Comp. (LG)
1659
Ballygolick
Cen. Leathanach: 535
1659
Gally golick
Cen. Leathanach: 535
1660c
Ballygollick (Eliz Bryan)
BSD (LG) Imleabhar: (CS IX), Leathanach: 79 (303)
1662
Thos. Gullocke (I petition ó Town and Liberties of Wexford; ach tá neart Croiméalach sa liosta céanna)
Hore Imleabhar: V, Leathanach: 334
1667
Ballygollicke (Thom. Holme)
ASE Leathanach: 110
1685
B:golick
Hib. Del.
1690c
Ballygollicke
Quit Rent (LG) Leathanach: 25f
1717
Ballygullick (Roe-Bunberry)
CGn. Imleabhar: 22, Leathanach: 208, Uimhir: 11802
1764
Ballygollick (William Tanner)
Vigors Papers Leathanach: 306
1771
Ballyguillick (Jeffares)
CGn. Imleabhar: 297, Leathanach: 159, Uimhir: 1944002
1830c
Ballygullick
Killinick
TAB Leathanach: 9 (II)
1840
Baile Giolla Oig, ‘Gillock’s town’
OD:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach (AL): 10
1840
Balligollicke
DS Ref.:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 10
1840
Ballygollick
DS Map:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 10
1840
Ballygullick
Boxwell:AL (LG) Díseart Munna
1840
Ballygullick
BS:AL Imleabhar: I, Leathanach: 10
1840
Ballygullick
CM:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 10
1840
Ballygullick
Fenwick, Rev.:AL (LG)
1840
Ballygullick
OD:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach (AL): 10
1840
Ballygullock
GJP:AL Imleabhar: 1, Leathanach: 10
2004
balə ˈgulik
Áit.

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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