Featured themes

Date: 07/09/2026

Building on last week’s theme of the sméar “(black)berry” in townland names, it is particularly interesting to note how often we find derivatives of dris “briar”, the name of the bush on which blackberries grow. In fact, they are way too numerous to outline here, so we shall have to confine ourselves to brief samples thereof.
Firstly, in comparison with its many derivatives, the word dris “briar, bramble” is itself relatively rare in townland names. It appears to occur in the forerunner to anglicized Carrowndrisha (logainm.ie #44253) in County Roscommon, which John O’Donovan, famous toponymist of the Ordnance Survey, considered to be from ‘Ceathramhadh na drise’ [Ceathrú na Drise] “the quarter of the brambles” — further research is required to confirm this. However, it is certainly found in Lisnadrisha/Lios na Drise “the ring-fort of the briar” (logainm.ie #19957) in County Galway.
A variant of dris “briar” in unpalatalized -s, namely dreas, occurs a number of townland names such as Ardrass/Ard Dreas “height of (the) briars” (logainm.ie #25298; #25299) in County Kildare; Kiltrassy/Cill Dreasa “church of (the) briar” (logainm.ie #26301) in County Kilkenny; Kildress/Cill Dreas “church of (the) briars” (logainm.ie #64346; see also placenamesni.org) in County Tyrone; Cooldross/Cúil Dreas “corner, recess of (the) briars” (logainm.ie #55546) in County Wicklow; and Gortnadrass/Gort na Dreasa “the field of the briar” (logainm.ie #45594) in County Sligo. (It may be noted in passing that the definite article is only found in the last example, possibly implying that the other names are a lot older.) A derivative of dreas is found in the place name Dreastarnach, itself is a variant of dreasarnach “briary place” (FGB s.v. dreasarnach), which is the forerunner to anglicized Dresternagh (logainm.ie #4911) in County Cavan. A slightly different derivative is also behind Dristernaun and Dristernan (logainm.ie #29207; #29230) in County Leitrim, namely Dreastarnán “briary place”, also found with palatalized -s- as Dristernan/Dristearnán “briary place” (logainm.ie #15212) in County Donegal.
In fact the variety of suffixes found with the root word dris in placenames is quite impressive. One commonly-heard derivative of dris is driseog. The suffix -óg/-eog usually signifies a diminutive (“little X”), but it can also have a collective meaning in placenames (“place abounding in X”). Therefore driseog can refer either to a particular briar or briars, as in Ballynadrishoge/Baile na nDriseog “the town(land) of the briars” (logainm.ie #52228) in County Wexford, or to an area in which these bushes grew, as in Driseog “place abounding in briars”, which is the forerunner to anglicized Drisoge in County Carlow (logainm.ie #3144); Drissoge in County Meath (logainm.ie #39163); and Drishoge in Counties Dublin (logainm.ie #16741; #57137), Leitrim (logainm.ie #29229) and Tipperary (logainm.ie #48318).
We also have Knockdrislagh/Cnoc Drisleach “hill of the briars” in Cork (logainm.ie #11837) which contains the derivative drisleach, a collective noun meaning “brambles, briars” (FGB s.v. drisleach). A similar derivative is found in Dresnagh/Drisneach “briary (place)” (logainm.ie #16588) in County Donegal and in the well-disguised Bohernagrisna, a corruption of Buaile na nDrisneach “the cattle-fold, summer pasture of the briary places” (logainm.ie #41951) in County Offaly. In County Mayo we have an adjectival form in Corradrishy/An Chorr Dhriseach “the briary round-hill” (logainm.ie #34164). Developing from this adjective driseach “briary” we have Driseachán “briary place”, which is the forerunner to townlands called Drishaghaun in Counties Galway (logainm.ie #20692), Mayo (logainm.ie #35225), and Roscommon (logainm.ie #42966) — the last example possibly with the definite article (An Driseachán). An Driseachán, with the article, is the official name of the village in County Galway known in English by the half-translation Brierfield (logainm.ie #1413455). Remarkably, derivatives of dris don’t stop with the examples above — we also have Driseán “place of briars” as a forerunner to Drishane in Counties Clare (logainm.ie #6900) and Tipperary (logainm.ie #48934), as well as three examples with the definite article in County Cork, i.e., An Driseán “the place of briars” (logainm.ie #566; #13045; #13437).

We should mention here some unusual examples in which placenames containing dris in Irish have been replaced by the names of other berries or fruits in English. Driseog (logainm.ie #41203) in County Offaly has the name Drishoge or Strawberryhill in English, and a townland in County Roscommon which in Irish appears to have been called Driseachán “briary place” (logainm.ie #44012) was given the English name Cherryfield or Drishagan! These appear to be coincidences, but research on the second name is as yet incomplete and there are many examples of very curious half-translations in the anglicized placenames in County Roscommon and adjoining areas.
Finally, in regard to placenames such as Lisnadrish/Lios na Drise “the ring-fort of the briar” in County Galway or Ballynadrishog/Baile na nDriseog “town(land) of the briars” in County Wexford, it is worth noting that the word dris and its derivative driseog not only refer to a briar, but they can also refer to a person with the characteristics of a briar, i.e. “a prickly or cantankerous person” — indeed the English word briar is still used in this sense in County Clare and other parts of Ireland, similar to the usage of cancrán in Irish. Therefore Lios na Drise might, at a stretch, be translated as “ring-fort of the cantankerous person”. Certainly the underlying Irish form of Ballydrisheen, namely Baile Dhrisín, seems to contain the nickname or personal name Drisín “a cantankerous person(?)” (cf. ‘Drisin mac Arga a quo Hui Drisin’ in Ó Corráin, ‘The families of Corcomroe’, North Munster Antiquarian Journal 17 (1975): 26), which would explain the lenition (séimhiú) of D- is reflected in early historical forms (logainm.ie #23712).

Of course the anglicized word drisheen (Ir. drisín) has a different meaning today, referring to the black pudding most associated with County Cork. Etymologically, that word is related to the meaning given in modern dictionaries under the Irish word driseachán — but we are quite sure that that is not what driseachán means in placenames!

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 01/09/2026

In September 2025 our Monthly Morsel dealt with the placename Screggan / An Screagán ‘the rough, rocky, stony ground’ (logainm.ie #1166663), site of the National Ploughing Competition, and it was highlighted that that particular placename does not apparently refer to the quality of the land in that townland, but to a rocky outcrop situated just over the townland boundary in neighbouring Mucklagh / An Mhuclach ‘the place of pigs; piggery’ (logainm.ie #42264). In any case, neither of these placenames have anything to do with ploughs or ploughing, but there is indeed a number of Irish townland names in the country that refer either to plough-land, ploughing or specifically to the plough (or a part thereof), although, as usual, some of the placenames in question are not quite what they seem at first sight.

Should we begin in Co. Mayo, the underlying Irish form of Cornageaghta, namely Corr na gCéachta ‘the round hill of the ploughs’ (logainm.ie #36465), doubtless refers to the small round hill situated in that townland (see: Fiachra Mac Gabhann (2014), Logainmneacha Mhaigh Eo, vol. 10, p. 72). The subsoil here consists of sand and gravel as well as limestone till (epa.ie), the latter of which is no doubt quite amenable to the plough. The name of a further townland in County Mayo, namely Drumkeaghta, which is from Droim Céachta, may be a further reference to the plough, meaning ‘ridge of (the) plough’ (ibid. vol. 6, p. 202). Here there is a ridge located in the south-eastern corner of this townland where one also finds limestone till subsoil, which very much contrasts with the remainder of this townland that is dominated by cutover peat. However, Céacht is also attested as a relatively rare personal name (see dil.ie s.v. Cécht; see also Leabhar Mór na nGenealach, ed. Nollaig Ó Muraíle), in which case this townland name could also be interpreted as signifying ‘the ridge of Céacht (a personal name)’. This might be deemed unlikely given that the name Céacht seems not to have been popular in the post-Anglo-Norman invasion period, essentially for almost one thousand years, but, notably, it wouldn’t be the only placename containing the personal name Céacht. In the Co. Donegal Gaeltacht there is a minor toponym off the coast of Na Clocha Corra (logainm.ie #14530) on the island of Árainn Mhór (logainm.ie #14527), namely Carraig Mhic Céachta ‘the rock of the son of Céacht’ (logainm.ie #1395581), in which the personal name is utterly unambiguous (compare also the the mythological character Mac Céacht in early tales such as Togail Bruidne Da Derga). Returning to the plough (céachta), however, it is without doubt also found in the forerunner of Coolakay near Enniskerry in Co. Wicklow, namely Cúil an Chéachta ‘the recess, nook of the plough’ (logainm.ie #55110). Early historical anglicized forms of the name such as ‘Cowle-Keight’ (1603: CPR) together with some later forms such as ‘Coolekeaghta’ (1761: Powerscourt Papers) leave absolutely no doubt about the underlying Irish form of the name, but for whatever reason the anglicized name ultimately morphed to a most misleading Coolakay! In any case, most of the subsoil in this townland is sand and gravel, which is very likely the arable soil alluded to by the name of this townland, which itself is sandwiched between a large area of rock to the southeast and the Dargle River on the townland’s southern, western and north-western boundaries (see: epa.ie).

Céacht(a) is of course not the only word in Irish that refers to a plough or a portion thereof. In Co. Sligo we have Cloonaraher, which is from Cluain Arathair ‘meadow, pasture of ploughing, (the) plough’ (logainm.ie #45718). A second Cluain Arathair is mentioned in early Irish martyrologies, but its location is unknown (see DIAS Onomasticon). In any case, both of these placenames contain the relatively rare word arathar ‘ploughing equipment, plough; ploughing’ (FGB s.v. arathar), which is uncommon in placenames, but is also found in another defunct historical placename, Druim Arathair ‘ridge of (the) ploughing, plough’ (see DIAS Onomasticon), the location of which is also unknown. In the case of Cloonaraher in Co. Sligo, we find a portion of sandstone till type subsoil, a soil type very much suited to ploughing, in contrast to the surrounding cutover peat soil (see: epa.ie).

Another word connected with ploughing that found much more frequently than those mentioned above is seisreach, which can refer to a ‘plough-team’, ‘plough’ (see FGB s.v. seisreach) or ‘plough-land (as much land as a six-horse plough could plough in a year)’ (see dil.ie s.v. seisrech). Notably, examples of this word in placenames are very much confined to the province of Munster (see map below). Moreover, it is particularly noteworthy that seisreach ‘ploughland’ undoubtedly occurs as the generic element overwhelmingly in Co. Tipperary. Thus, we have Sheseraghkeale / An tSeisreach Chaol ‘the narrow ploughland’ (logainm.ie #46740); Shesheraghmore / An tSeisreach Mhór ‘the big ploughland’ (logainm.ie #45859); Shesharoe / An tSeisreach Rua ‘the red ploughland’ (logainm.ie #46363); and Shesheraghscanlan / Seisreach Scanláin ‘the ploughland of Scanlán (a personal name)’ (logainm.ie #45949).

(Distribution of seisreach “plough-team; plough; plough-land” in townland names.)

Remaining in Co. Tipperary, seisreach occurs as a qualifier in Rathsasseragh / Ráth na Seisreach ‘the ring-fort of the ploughlands’ (logainm.ie #49035) which lies on the edge of Tipperary town. As it happens no ring-fort is recorded here, but the name may refer to one of the enclosures just over the townland boundary in Corrogemore / Corróg Mhór (logainm.ie #49033). A number of townlands in the county also derive their name from An Leathsheisreach “the half-ploughland” (logainm.ie #46002; # 46582; #46812) which was generally anglicised Lahesseragh in the county, but in one instance it was replaced by Landsdown (logainm.ie #46357), a name that refers to the big house at that location. Interestingly, the English name Middleplough (logainm.ie #46530) is also quite well attested as a townland name in Tipperary, and it is, at first sight, unclear whether it is a translation of an original Irish name or an English creation. However, there is evidence that the likes of An Leathsheisreach Chrua “the hard half-ploughland” were translated as ‘Hardplow orse Leisreaghcrua’ (CPR, p. 303), or similar, in which case the presumption that Middleplough is a likely translation of An tSeisreach Láir is wholly unproblematic. Indeed, placenames such as Middleplough don’t appear to be a feature of English toponomy, in which case we can be reasonably confident that it is indeed a translation from Irish in this instance.

Elsewhere, Lahesheragh North & South (logainm.ie #24233; #24234) in Co. Kerry are also undoubtedly from An Leathsheisreach “the half-ploughland”. Seisreach ‘plough, plough-team; ploughland”’ or leathsheisreach ‘half-ploughland’ is also reasonably common as a qualifier in Co. Tipperary placenames (we have already noted Rathsasseragh / Ráth na Seisreach), as in the case of Fearann na Leathsheisrí ‘the land of the half-ploughland’, the forerunner to both Farranlahassery (logainm.ie #48114) near Cahir, and Farran (logainm.ie #48790) near Emly, but they are by no means all confined to Co. Tipperary. Thus, Farranalahesery (loganm.ie #49769) in Co. Waterford is also from Fearann na Leathsheisrí ‘the land of the half-ploughland’, as are Farranlaheshery East and West (logainm.ie #10002; #10166) in Co. Cork, while Ballynalahessery / Baile na Leathsheisrí ‘the town(land) of the half-ploughland’ (logainm.ie #49377; #49376) is also located in Co. Waterford. The English name of Currymount (logainm.ie #11728) near Buttevant in north Cork is from the Big House located there, but its original Irish name was Currach na Leathsheisrí ‘the marsh of the half-ploughland’ (‘Currymount [otherwise] Curraghnalahesery’ CGn. 345.594.235308). In this instance Curry is probably derived from the initial element, but -mount was most likely generated by the erstwhile fashion that caused it to be found in numerous names of big houses throughout the country. To cap off our examples of seisreach as a qualifier in placenames we also have Farrannasheshery / Fearann na Seisrí ‘the land of the plough(land)’ (logainm.ie #8120) in Co. Cork, while two wells named Tobernashesree / Tobar na Seisrí ‘the well of the ploughland’ (logainm.ie #1415346; #1415466) are located in Co. Limerick.

There are no doubt other examples of elements referring to ploughing and the plough or parts thereof in further townland names around the country, take for example coltar (gen. sg. coltair; var. coiltir; cf. dil.ie s.v. coltar) as in Slievecoiltia / Sliabh Coiltir ‘mountain of (the) coltar’ (logainm.ie #53617) in Co. Wexford; or soc ‘a snout; a ploughshare’ as in Tiratick / Tír an tSoic ‘the land of the snout, or ploughshare’ (logainm.ie #45002) in Co. Sligo, but in any case the examples given in this month’s Monthly Morsel suffice to show that references to the plough, ploughing and ploughland are not at all rare in Irish townland names. Indeed, for information on ploughing in the Gaelic Irish tradition one can recommend no better book that Fergus Kelly’s Early Irish Farming, where one can find a host of valuable information on the matter in early Ireland. We can therefore celebrate this month’s National Ploughing Championship in full knowledge that ‘The Ploughing’ continues a practice found in the earliest records of Irish agricultural practice from well over one thousands years ago.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Justin Ó Gliasáin)

Date: 31/08/2026

It is at this time of year (and it is salient to note that the Irish name of September means “middle of the harvest season”) that many turn their attention to the abundance of blackberries which the Irish countryside will bestow over the next two months. All you need to benefit from this bounty is a bucket and the time to spare — and also to be prepared to be endlessly ‘scrawbed’ (Wexford English for “scratched”) by thorns.
One of the few townland names that refers to the sméar “(black)berry” in its original Irish form is Mullaunnasmear/Mullán na Sméar (logainm.ie #52671) near Bunclody in County Wexford, which might at first sight be translated as “the hillock of the blackberries”. However, as we know that the word mullán appears to have developed the further meaning of “green field, lea-field” in placenames of the Southeast, Mullán na Sméar is in this instance probably better translated as “the green field, lea-field of the (black)berries” (see Logainmneacha na hÉireann IV: Townland Names of Co. Wexford, p. 1355). In Munster we have Aghsmear/Áth na Sméar “the ford of the (black)berries” (logainm.ie #46828) and Cappanasmear/Ceapach na Sméar “the plot of the (black)berries” (logainm.ie #46104) in County Tipperary; and Coolnasmear/Cúil na Sméar “the corner, recess of the (black)berries” (logainm.ie #49308; #49309; #49310) in County Waterford.
For fear that anyone might think that blackberries are associated with the south of the country, we must also mention Creenasmear/Críoch na Sméar “the territory of the (black)berries” (logainm.ie #14331) in County Donegal. And we find that in 1834, local Irish speakers called Tullyrossmearan in County Fermanagh ‘Tulaigh Ras Smeurthan’, explained as “hill of the shrubbery of the blackberries” — leading the Placenames Commission to recommend the official Irish form Tulaigh Ros Sméarann “mound, hillock of the wood (or elevated ground) of (the) (black)berries” (logainm.ie #130663) in Ainmneacha Gaeilge na mBailte Poist (1969), after having submitted the name for public consultation on the provisional list of 1962. Although the standard plural of sméar nowadays is sméara, gen. pl. sméar, note that an alternate form ‘smeranna drisi’ is found in a 15th century manuscript, showing inflexion as an n-stem noun — this would produce gen. pl. sméarann as found in the placename (eDIL s.v. 1 smér). (A variant of smér in Old Irish was mér, and that was regularly inflected as an n-stem (eDIL s.v. 2 mér).) It has been suggested that the final element is actually the Irish personal name Méarán (see placenamesni.org). However, the local pronunciation /ˈtoliːrɑ ˈsmeːrən/ seems more in keeping with both the official form Tulaigh Ros Sméarann recommended in 1969 and the local form recorded in 1834.
P.W. Joyce draws our attention to another Ulster example, Drumnasmear (logainm.ie #62416) in County Antrim, which is from Droim na Sméar “the ridge of the (black)berries” (in which we see the more usual genitive plural form sméar), as suggested on placenamesni.org (placenamesni.org). But Joyce appears to be mistaken in explaining the placename Smear/Sméar (logainm.ie #32836) in County Longford as ‘signifying a place producing blackberries’ (The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places, vol. II, p. 325). Simplex names of this type, simply stating ‘blackberry, apple, or sloe’ — unlike the names of certain trees and shrubs — are not typical of townland names in Irish, so this is hardly correct. Some doubt therefore remains as to the true meaning of Smear/Sméar.
Even though, as research stands, there seem to be few other townland names that refer to the sméar “blackberry”, there is no doubt that the blackberry was an important part of the diet of the Gaelic Irish, as were many of our other wild fruits and berries (see Fergus Kelly, Early Irish Farming, p. 306). Indeed, as it is likely that they were cultivated to a degree, due to their importance in the early Irish diet, perhaps ‘wild’ is not entirely the correct word to use. This ‘cultivation’ may well only have extended to leaving briars thrive in certain areas, but nevertheless reference to the plant on which the blackberry grows dris “briar” — and to its myriad derivatives — are extremely common throughout the country, as we will see in next week’s contribution.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 24/08/2026

With the end of the Summer holidays approaching it is interesting to note the townland names Attinaskollia/Áit Tí na Scoile (#26682) “the place of the house of the school, of the schoolhouse” in Mayo and Tinnascolly/Tigh na Scoile (#26682) “the house of the school, of the schoolhouse” in Kilkenny. Notably, no schoolhouse is recorded in either of these townlands, and the placenames themselves are the only evidence for such a feature. It is frequently the case that placenames are the only evidence for physical or manmade features that have been otherwise erased from the landscape. In the case of Áit Tí na Scoile and Tigh na Scoile the earliest evidence dates from 1617 and 1567, respectively, so these schools certainly long predated the National School system introduced by the British government in the 1830s. More information here and here.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 17/08/2026

Continuing on the theme discussed last week, not only do we find the fruit úll “apple” mentioned in townland names, but we also have even more specific references to the etymologically-related abha(i)ll, literally meaning “apple-tree” but often representing “orchard”, especially in the north. Thus there is Avalbane/Abhaill Bhán “the white apple-tree (i.e. orchard)”(logainm.ie #40526 and Avalreagh/Abhaill Riabhach “the grey apple-tree (i.e. orchard)” #40527) in County Monaghan, along with Owlbeg/Abhaill Bheag “little apple-tree”(logainm.ie #3186) in County Carlow. In County Wexford, we find both Shanowle/Seanabhaill “old apple-tree” (logainm.ie #53423 and of course Theoil/An Abhaill “the apple-tree” #52402) at the village of Oilgate/Maolán na nGabhar.
In the aforementioned examples abhaill occurs as the primary generic element, as sometimes happens with other tree-names. However, it is found even more often as a genitive plural qualifier, as in Cloonoul/Cluain Abhall “pasture of (the) apple-trees”(logainm.ie #32032) in County Limerick and Corrowle/Corr Abhall “round hill(?), hollow(?) of (the) apple-tree” (logainm.ie #45839) in County Tipperary. The same Corr Abhall is the forerunner to Corrool (logainm.ie #32586) in County Longford, and in County Mayo it occurs again, this time with the article, in Cornanool/Corr na nAbhall “the round hill of the apple-trees” (logainm.ie #35737). In County Laois we have Coolnanowle/Cúil an nAbhall “the recess of the apple-trees” (logainm.ie #28819), and in County Leitrim, Killasanowl/Coill Lios na nAbhall “the wood of (at) the ring-fort of the apple-trees” (logainm.ie #29251). This last name reminds us of Applefort/Cnoc na nÚll “the hill of the apples” in County Clare (see last week’s theme), insofar as it is another probable instance of the repurposing of an abandoned ring-fort as an enclosed orchard. In the same vein we have Lisheenanoul/Lisín na nAbhall “the (little) fort of the apple-trees”(logainm.ie #29251) in County Tipperary.

In County Mayo we have woods full of apples in Derryool/Doire Abhall (x2), Derrowel Beg and More/Doire Abhall Beag and Mór “wood, (oak-)grove of the apple-trees (Little/Big)”, as well as Inishowel/Inis Abhall “island of the apple-trees” (logainm.ie #36352; #36635; #35511; #36395) . In County Wicklow two seperate examples of the Irish placename Achadh Abhall “field of (the) apple-trees” give name to the subdivided townland Aghowle Lower, ~ Upper in the east of the county (logainm.ie #55317;#55318) and another Aghowle Lower, ~ Upper near County Carlow (logainm.ie #55786; #55787). The second example, also the name of an ancient parish (logainm.ie #2665), was frequently mentioned in early Irish sources. Witness the delight of John O’Donovan of the Ordnance Survey when he heard the local Irish pronunciation in 1839 (‘now pronounced by the old men who speak Irish Ach abhall (Agh-oul)’) and realized he had finally located this famous place: ‘I have been on the look out for this Achadh Abhall these eight years, and had despaired of ever being able to find it’ (Ordnance Survey Letters (Wicklow) 121–132). What a wonderful example of the care taken by the toponomists of the Ordnance Survey in their research of the placenames now found on their maps! Indeed, this very much belies the image of their methods portrayed in Brian Friel’s famous play Translations.
In County Cavan we have fields full of apples in the townland name Gartnanoul/Gort na nAbhall, an open compound meaning “the field of the apple-trees” (logainm.ie #5066) (the English spelling reflecting the common pronunciation of Irish gort in that county: see ‘Gartnenowle’ (1652)). However, by far the most common combination of abhaill “apple-tree” with gort “field” in placenames is abhallort, a close compound of abhaill (var. abhall) + gort “field”, meaning “orchard”. In Modern Irish, the spelling has been standardized úllord outside of placenames. In its more common realization An tAbhallort, it features as the Irish precursor to the most English-looking of placenames Aldworth(logainm.ie #11871) in County Cork, along with the two examples of Oulart in Wexford (logainm.ie #52250; #52975). Other examples in County Wexford are Oulartard/An tAbhallort Ard “the high orchard”, Oulartwick/Abhallort Bhoic “Buck’s orchard”, Oulartleigh/An tAbhallort Liath “the grey orchard”, and Ballinoulart/Baile an Abhalloirt “the town(land) of the orchard” (logainm.ie #52717; #52513; #52190; #52926). Baile an Abhalloirt is also the forerunner to anglicized Ballynahoulort in Kerry (logainm.ie #24791) and Ballinowlart in Offaly (logainm.ie #41621). Knockanoulort/Cnoc an Abhalloirt “the hill of the orchard” is another County Kerry townland name referring to apples (logainm.ie #23201).
The English name Orchard in the parish of Nurney in County Carlow is particularly well-attested, but there is no evidence that this represents original Irish An tAbhallort(logainm.ie #3428). On the other hand, a second example in the same county, Orchard near Clonegal, is beyond a shadow of a doubt a half-translation of An tAbhallort Fiáin “the wild orchard” (logainm.ie #3134): we find that name explicitly described in the rental book of the Earl of Kildare as ‘The wilde orcharde alias the Owllorde fyan’ (1518) and later elsewhere as ‘Owlordfyan’ (1604). Similarly, Orchard Lower and Orchard Upper in County Laois are translations of An tAbhallort (logainm.ie #27986), while Neworchard/An tAbhallort Nua in County Kilkenny was recorded locally as ‘ollúirt’ [representing modern Abhallort] by the Irish scholars of the Ordnance Survey in 1840 (logainm.ie #26923). Longorchard in County Tipperary is also a translation of Irish An tAllortort Fada, as is clear from the anglicized reference ‘Oulortfadda’, recorded in the 1650s (logainm.ie #47269). And finally, although research has not been completed on townland names in the part of County Donegal that lies outside of the Gaeltacht, it appears Avaltygort may represent an exceptional variant of the same compound word, perhaps best represented by An tAbhallghort in Irish (logainm.ie #16387).
There are only a few uncertain examples of placenames which might contain a gaelicized version of the Anglo-Norman surname Orchard (see Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland s.v. [Orchard](There are only a few uncertain examples of placenames which might contain a gaelicized version of the Anglo-Norman surname Orchard (see Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland s.v. Orchard). In County Tipperary, Baile an Abhallortaigh “the town(land) of An tAbhallortach” (logainm.ie #48407) — in which An tAbhallortach means “person surnamed Orchard” — might well be a reinterpretation of earlier Baile na hAbhalloirte “the town(land) of the orchard”, containing the feminine variant of the common noun: cf. ‘Nawelort’ (1384). (Compare also the local pronunciation ‘Baile na habhluirt’ recorded in 1841 for the County Kerry placename Ballynahoulort/Baile an Abhalloirt mentioned above.) And despite the superficial appearance of the English forms of implying ‘[surname] + ’s + town’, it is more likely that the historical placename ‘Orchardiston’ (1518), ‘Orchardston…’ (1575) in County Laois also represents the common noun Eng. orchard rather than the surname Eng. Orchard: see ‘Ballenowlert’ (1569), ‘Orchardston, alias Ballinnoulard’ (1575). The evidence is discussed in the note under the townland name Ballybrittas/Baile Briotáis (#28286).
While research has not been completed on all of the townland names of the State — there are still almost 20,000 left to go —the southern bias of these placenames is unavoidably clear. It would seem that County Armagh’s reputation as ‘The Orchard County’ had no little competition during Ireland’s Gaelic period! Fergus Kelly has noted how common the wild apple is as a native tree in Ireland, remarking that is was available as a food-source since man’s first arrival here (Early Irish Farming, p. 259; see Early Irish Farming). Indeed, early Irish native law upheld strict rules concerning the value of apple-trees and fines for the destruction of the various varieties, even according to the status of the owner. Notably, the aball (Mod.Ir. abhaill) was categorized in the Old Irish law text Bretha Comaithchesa among the ‘Airig Fedo’ (Mod.Ir. Aireacha Feá) “nobles of the wood”, which was the most important category of trees (see Early Irish Farming, pp. 260, 380). Perhaps it was the ubiquity — and the nobility — of the apple-tree which prompted a late 16th century Irish scribe to reinterpret the opaque placename Cúil Mhic Conamhal “the corner, nook of the son of Conamhail” (#28633) in County Laois (which modern research would indicate contains a rare Leinster personal name) as ‘Cuilic an Abhall’ and ‘Culic an Abhaill' (1595, 1608).
Little wonder, then, that úll “apple” and abha(i)ll “apple-tree” should feature in so many townland names down to our own times.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 10/08/2026

Even though the main harvest of apples will not reach full swing until the month of September, the early gathering begins in August. For many of us of a certain vintage the apple-harvest dominated the last two weeks of school holidays when we would pay regular visits to the local orchards! The fact that this pastime has largely been replaced by others is perhaps no bad thing, not only for the orchard-owners concerned but also for the eager young scrumpers, as these innocent visits often resulted in severe stomach cramps due to the need to completely destroy any evidence before getting home. ‘Little apples will grow again’, as the old phrase has it — filleann an feall ar an bhfeallaire!
Apples were also clearly an important foodstuff in Gaelic Ireland, and as there are many references to both the fruit and the tree in the townland names of Ireland. For instance, in County Galway we have the anglicized Cappaghnanool/Ceapach na nÚll “the plot of the apples” (logainm.ie #19972) and the directly translated Apple Island/Oileán na nÚll(logainm.ie #19142).In County Cork we have Derrynanool/Doire na nÚll “the wood, grove of the apples”(logainm.ie #12842); Rossnanowl/Ros na nÚll “the wood, elevated ground of the apples” (logainm.ie #26678) in County Kilkenny; and Tomanoole/Tuaim na nÚll “the tumulus, hillock of the apples" (logainm.ie #52375) in County Wexford. Additionally we have Gortnanool/Gort na nÚll “the field of the apples” (logainm.ie #7546) and the half-translation Applefort/Cnoc na nÚll “the hill of the apples” (logainm.ie #7820) in County Clare. The unusual English form references the large ringfort on the boundary with the adjoining townland. Indeed, it is probable that the fort was the location of the apple-trees in question.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 03/08/2026

With the diminishing hope that the rain might stay away we move grudgingly from the trá “strand, beach” and cladach “shore, rocky foreshore” from recent weeks to look at a couple of other toponymic elements that generally refer to places beside the sea. The Modern Irish word muirbheach means “level stretch of sandy land along sea-shore, links” (FGB s.v. muirbheach). Donnchadh Ó Corráin has suggested the etymology muir “sea” + -bach “breaking” (from Old Irish bongaid), meaning “sea-breach” (‘Old Norse place names II: Muirbech, Smjǫrvík’, Peritia 11 (1997)). Along with its variant murbhach (with non-palatal or broad -rbh-) this element occurs in a number of townland names around the country, with an interesting variety of local Irish pronunciations.
It is found as Murroogh/Muirbheach (logainm.ie #18664) near Galway City, as Murvey/Muirbhigh (logainm.ie #18355) in west County Galway and as Murrevagh/Muirbheach (logainm.ie #37483) in County Mayo. Although situated inland, Murragh (logainm.ie #42219) in County Offaly also appears to be from Muirbheach, (cf. ‘Murriogh’ (1828), with the remarkable modern anglicized pronunciation /muˈru:/ (1985) — as if Muroo with stress on the second syllable). Interestingly it was noted during the Ordnance Survey in 1837 that this townland ‘in the neighbourhood of the river [was] subject to floods’, a characteristic which may have been considered similar to a muirbheach “links”.
Muirbheach is also well-attested as murbhach (i.e. a version with a non-palatal (broad) -rbh-), the form that occurs in Murbhach, the origin of the townland names Murvagh Lower(logainm.ie #13908) and Murvagh Upper Glebe (logainm.ie #13909) on the coast south of Donegal Town. In that case, the broad cluster -rbh- was apparently locally pronounced as /-rv-/, but we seem to have examples of the same form in which -rbh- /-rv-/ developed to /-r-/ at an early stage. Take for instance the townland name Murragh (logainm.ie #16751) in north County Dublin, which also appears to derive from Murbhach. That example is situated far inland, however, and although a small stream runs through the townland, it seems to contain no feature which might suggest suggest a links or foreshore-type environment. The same might initially be thought of Ballinamorragh/Baile na Murbhach(logainm.ie #53687) in County Wexford, which lies some distance from the sea. However, Ballinamorragh was in fact situated on the coast until the reclamation of the adjoining slob in the nineteenth century (see Logainmneacha na hÉireann VI: Townland Names of Co. Wexford, p. 176). Therefore the name can readily be translated as “the town(land) of (at) the level stretches of sandy land along the seashore” (ibid.).
One common variant Irish form of muirbheach, namely muiríoch, arose due to the loss of the palatal (slendar) internal -bh-, in many southern dialects (as if via muiribheach with epenthetic vowel). Thus we have Murreagh/An Mhuiríoch “the level stretch of sandy land along sea-shore, links” (logainm.ie #8437) iin County Cork, along with two examples in County Kerry — one near Waterville (logainm.ie #22261 and the other a well-known destination in the Gaeltacht of Corca Dhuibhne #22687).The latter example from Kerry is situated on Cuan Ard na Caithne (from Ard na Caithne “the height of the arbutus, wild strawberry” (#22598)). In fact, it has been suggested that Smerwick Harbour — the name used in English to refer to Cuan Ard na Caithne — is not a Norse coinage containing vík “bay” as might first be presumed, but rather a Norse folk etymology based on the Middle Irish pronunciation of this Muiríoch < Mid. Ir. Muirbech (see Ó Corráin 1997). In Leinster, the area known in English as the Murragh (logainm.ie #1413200) on the coast immediately north of Wicklow Town also seems derives its name from a similar realization of muirbheach in the local dialect (‘the Murrioghe’ (1606), ‘the Morieight’ (1619) → ‘the Murrow’ (1726)).
Another local variant is muiriúch (as if via muireabhach with epenthetic vowel and broad -bh-). A pronunciation similar to this was recorded by Placenames Branch researchers in Murroogh/Muirbheach (logainm.ie #18664) near Galway City (mentioned above), in the 1970s — /(əɴ)ˈmɪrʹuːx/, with stress on the first syllable. The last native Irish speakers of the Burren, County Clare, had another distinctive pronunciation when interviewed in 1985: they pronounced the district name Murroogh/Muiriúch “level stretch of sandy land along sea-shore, links” (logainm.ie #1420406) in north County Clare as /(əɴ)mʹəˈrʹuːx/, with stress on the second syllable. This district gave name to the townlands of Murrooghkilly/Muiriúch Cille “level stretch of sandy land along sea-shore of (belonging to) the church” (logainm.ie #5776) and Murrooghtoohy/Muiriúch Tuaithe “level stretch of sandy land along sea-shore of (belonging to) the laity” (logainm.ie #5778).
It is interesting to see how these various pronunciations of muirbheach correlate to the distribution of the phonetically similar word inbhear “grazing” recorded in the Linguistic Atlas and Survey of Irish Dialects I p. 16. Just as we find with muirbheach, the word inbhear was pronounced in different dialects as if spelled invear, inivear, iníor, iniúr, etc. (The standard Modern Irish spelling is iníor; Pádraig Ó Cearbhaill discusses some finer points on the various pronunciations in ‘Fishery names on the River Shannon’, Éigse 39 (2016).) The broad correlation in distribution might prove useful in placename analysis: for example, because we know that ag inbhear “grazing” was pronounced /ɪgʹˈinʹuːr/ in the dialect of Kilbaha near Loop Head (LASID loc. cit. Point 22), we might give consideration to the possibility that the Irish name of the cliff Aylevaroo/Aill an Mharú (#104013), near Kilrush, originally contained the local dialect form of muirbheach (namely muiriúch, gen. sg. mhuiriúigh).
Finally, we come to the townland and village of Naran/An Fhearthainn(logainm.ie #14607; #1414079) in County Donegal, whose Irish name immediately appears very odd to any Irish speaker — in the modern language, an fhearthainn means simply “the rain” (FGB s.v. fearthainn)! However, given its location at the seashore (it is adjacent to Tramore Strand, another example of Irish An Trá Mhór “the big strand, beach”) it is most likely that the place takes its name from a variant form of feorainn “grassy place; grassy river or shore”, which we have already met as a possible forerunner of Beach/An Trá (logainm.ie #8347) in County Cork — compare the attested variant feorthainn (FGB s.v. feorainn). The word feorainn itself certainly occurs in the townland name Ballyforan/Béal Átha Feorainne “approach to (the) ford of (at) (the) grassy riverside” (logainm.ie #42580) in County Roscommon, which although it is on the brink of the River Suck, is close to the geographical centre of Ireland and very far indeed from the sea! The same element is also found in the names of some minor features on the coastline of County Mayo, e.g. Feorin/An Fheorainn (logainm.ie #1399403; #1399404) and Feorinyeeo Bay/Trá Fheorainn Uí Eo (logainm.ie #114210).

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 01/08/2026

Last month’s Monthly Morsel focused on placename elements and their possible use, along with other tools, in assisting planners to predict sites that may be, or have historically been, liable to flood. As an adjunct to this it is also particularly noteworthy that placenames, when the underlying Irish form has been correctly determined, might sometimes be of enormous value to those engaged in rewetting as a method of nature restoration and/or as flood alleviation.
For example, the townland names Lagore Big (logainm.ie #37986) and Lagore Little (logainm.ie #37987) next to Dunshaughlin in County Meath appear innocuous at first sight, particularly since they appear in Irish as the essentially near meaningless ‘Lagór mór’ and ‘Lagór beag’ in the Ordnance Survey Name Book, which indicates that the last local Irish speakers of the area understood no connection with the word loch “lake” in that placename. However, loch is exactly what is reflected in early anglicised historical forms of the name such as ‘Laghgower’ (1415) and ‘loghgowre’ (1481), a fact confirmed by the many early Irish attestations of this name such as ‘Loch Gabhor’ ‘lake of (the white) horses’ (e.g. Annals of Ulster s.a. 785) or ‘Loch Gabhair’ ‘lake of (the white) horse’ (Annals of the Four Masters, compiled 17th century), or similar — whence today’s standardized Irish form Loch Gabhar, which has been in official use since the 1980s. Notably, the earlier presence of a lake situated both in Lagore Big and Lagore Little is confirmed by soil maps which show a significant area of lacustrine soil (lake-bed) to the east of Dunshaughlin. In addition, a second reasonably large area of lacustrine soil, which must represent the site of a second lake, is found in the southeastern corner of Lagore Big (see soil maps below).

(Subsoil map at Lagore Big and Lagore Little, County Meath. Area of lacustrine soil marked with + https://gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/)

(Subsoil map at Lagore Big and Lagore Little, County Meath. Second area of lacustrine soil marked with +: https://gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/)

Both of these zones of lake-bed soil drain into the Broadmeadow River which is particularly notable given the acknowledged danger of flooding from this river downstream in nearby Ratoath (see Meath County Development Plan 2021-2026. (Interestingly, the original Irish name of the Broadmeadow River, may be Abhainn Ghabhra ‘river of (the white) horse’, which, if correct, would be clearly linked to that of Loch Gabhar ‘lake of (the white) horses’, in turn suggesting a symbiotic relationship between both features.) Therefore, given that both of these large areas of lacustrine soil drain into the Broadmeadow River, it seems probable, even to the lay person with no expertise in hydraulic geography or engineering, that flooding caused by the river at Ratoath could be alleviated, should the area of Loch Gabhar, from which the Broadmeadow River flows, be rewetted and used as a retention lake during periods of excessive rainfall. Certainly, both the original Irish name and soil maps of the area suggest the cost-effective appropriateness of such an approach. The only hindrance to this suggestion, should landowners be prepared to sell their holdings or part thereof, is that a small part of the area in question has been encroached on by a recent housing development in Dunshaughlin. In this instance, the planners may not have recognised the red flags raised by both the placename and soil maps, or if so, perhaps they felt that building on lake-bed soil did not pose an insurmountable problem of flooding.

The example of Lagore / Loch Gabhar ‘lake of (the white) horses’ is just one of many that suggest the potential of Irish names of places to be used to earmark areas that might be suitable for rewetting with the least amount of expense to the country’s citizens, i.e. the placename itself combined with information from soil maps could be used to determine earlier wetlands with a potential to be restored without the need for expensive engineering works, given that they were originally wetlands in their natural state. With this in mind, it may be of interest to know that even Irish placenames only found in literary creations may also sometimes highlight areas liable to flooding or suitable for rewetting. For example, in a recent article on the placenames Screggan / An Screagán ‘the rough, rocky, stony ground’ and Lynally / Lainn Eala ‘church of (the) swan’ near Tullamore in County Offaly (see logainm.ie Featured Theme 124), it was noted that the final element of Lainn Eala is from the name of the founding saint of the parish church, namely Colmán Eala. The Life of Colmán Eala tells us that the saint reputedly derived his epithet, Eala, from Loch Eala ‘lake of (the) swan’, supposedly an enchanted lake then situated next to the site of his new foundation at Lynally. It was written that neither man nor animal would dare approach Loch Eala because it was guarded by a wicked beast (pēist urc[h]ōidech), but after Colmán summoned the aid of various famous saints and clerics the beast was decapitated and its remains buried in the newly consecrated graveyard. (For further references to this place in Irish sources see E-Onomasticon s.n. lann elo.) As often happens with early Irish literature, we are left wondering whether Loch Eala was a real place or whether it was merely a literary creation of the type which placename researchers often refer to as a ghost name. (We also use this term to refer to errors and other false names which appear on maps or in other historical sources, much to the confusion of researchers.) With this in mind, a sceptic might surely look at the present-day townland of Lynally Glebe / Lainn Eala (#42263) – where there is no lake – and with some justification consider Loch Eala to indeed be a literary fabrication.

(Subsoil map of Lynally Glebe and surrounding townlands, County Offaly. Extensive area of alluvial soil (floodplain) marked with +: https://gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/)

However, scientific analysis reflected in the EPA soil map seen above shows that this townland contains an enormous area of alluvial soil stretching far into the surrounding townlands, between the modern courses of the Tullamore River, the Clodiagh River, and beyond. Indeed, the land just north of the ruins in Lynally are described as Flooded Bottoms on the Ordnance Survey 6ʺ map (first edition), while the alluvial soil here also, markedly, extends into part of the townland of Killiskea / Coill Uisce ‘wood of water’ (logainm.ie #42305). This area of alluvial soil, then, quite plausibly corresponds to the site of Loch Eala, but if so, the lake appears to have been gradually drained over many years. Be that as it may, the soil maps certainly confirm that there is an enormous floodplain here, and the placename Loch Eala suggests that the area in question must have remained under water for periods long enough to generate the element loch “lake” in the placename. Therefore, it seems that we can indeed sometimes use placenames only found in literary creations (they are not all ghost-names) in combination with soil maps in the determination of areas liable to flooding and possibly very well-suited to rewetting at the minimum of financial cost.

Overall, examples such as those described above and in last month’s Monthly Morsel suggest that an interdisciplinary approach between toponymists, planners, geographers and engineers may prove particularly useful in any future attempts at using natural features to alleviate flooding possibly be means of rewetting. At least there is surely food for thought in considering such an approach.

(For further reading concerning the use of placenames in the determination of flood histories see: ‘Early Medieval Place-Names and Riverine Flood Histories: A New Approach and New Chronostratigraphic Records for Three English Rivers’, p. 381-405, Pears, B., Brown, A.G., Carroll, J., Toms, Phillip, Wood, J.C. and Jones, R (2020): European Journal of Archaeology.)

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich \& Justin Ó Gliasáin)

Date: 27/07/2026

Last week’s contribution concerning the theme of wells, springs and fountains in Irish placenames focused of the element tobar ‘well, fountain, spring, source’ and its occurrence in placenames that sometimes reflect the reputed curative properties of their waters, all the while barely mentioning other terms that can also refer to a ‘well’, ‘spring’ or ‘fountain’ such as tiobra, or its more commonly occurring variant tiobraid (a fossilised oblique form of tiobra) as in Tipperary / Tiobraid Árann ‘the well, spring, fountain, source of (at the) Ára (possibly an old name of the river flowing through Tipperary town (see Onomasticon DIAS s.n. ára))’, and fuarán as in Carrownaworan / Ceathrú na bhFuarán ‘the quarter (land) of the springs, fountains’ (logainm.ie #45715) in Co. Sligo.

While tiobra / tiobraid ‘well, spring, fountain, source’ cannot be considered at all rare in townland names, it is particularly noticeable that it rarely occurs in conjunction with a personal name, as is the case in Tibberaghny / Tiobra Fhachna ‘the well of Fachna (< Mid.Ir. Fachtna)’ (logainm.ie #26492) in Co. Kilkenny. This contrasts greatly with placenames containing tobar ‘well, fountain, spring, source’ of which there are many more examples with personal names, as in Toberphelim / Tobar Féilim ‘Féilim’s well’ (logainm.ie #32934) in Co. Longford; Toberjarleth / Tobar Iarlatha ‘Iarlaith’s well’ (logainm.ie # 21995) in Co. Galway and Toberrory / Tobar Ruairí ‘Ruairí’s well’ (logainm.ie #43913) in Co. Roscommon. Not to mention the ubiquity of townlands and wells called Toberbride / Tobar Bhríde (sometimes also Tobar Bríde, i.e. with a fossilised form of gen. Bríde without initial lenition) ‘St. Brigid’s well’ or Toberpatrick / Tobar Phádraig (sometimes also Tobar Pádraig) ‘St. Patrick’s well’. This implies that tobar was far more commonly used than tiobra / tiobraid, but it is worth noting that tiobraid was not at all uncommon as a qualifier, as seen in placenames such as Aughatubbrid or Chatsworth/ Achadh Tiobraide “field of (the) well, spring, fountain, source” (logainm.ie #26541) in Co. Kilkenny; Baile na Tiobraide ‘the town(land) of the well, spring’ is the forerunner to Ballintubbert (logainm.ie #28120) and Springhill (earlier ‘Balletibred’) (logainm.ie #28860) in Co. Laois, as well as Ballintubbrid (logainm.ie #31887) in Co. Limerick. We also have Kiltubbrid / Cill Tiobraide ‘church of (the) spring, fountain’ (logainm.ie #40330; #40825) in Co. Monaghan; Clontubbrid / Cluain Tiobraide ‘meadow, pasture of (the) spring, fountain’ in Cos. Mayo (logainm.ie #36824) and Kilkenny (logainm.ie #27473); Ballintubbrid / Baile na dTiobrad ‘the town(land) of the springs, fountains’ (logainm.ie #52227) in Co. Wexford; Lisnatubbrid / Lios na dTiobrad ‘the ringfort of the springs, fountains’ (logainm.ie #48375) in Co. Tipperary; Kiltubbrid/Cill Tiobrad ‘church of springs, fountains’ (logainm.ie #29335) in Co. Leitrim; while Cluain Tiobrad ‘meadow, pasture of springs, fountains’ is the forerunner to Clontibret (logainm.ie #1979) in Co. Monaghan, Cloontubbrid (logainm.ie #30033) in Co. Leitrim and Cloontubbrid in Cos. Mayo (logainm.ie #35972) and Kerry (logainm.ie #23901). The frequency of tiobraid in combination with cluain ‘meadow, pasture’ is particularly striking, and although the specific reason for this is unclear, it may be connected to the fact that while cluain is generally explained as meaning a “meadow, pasture” or similar (see FGB, Dinneen cluain; DIL clúain), Julius Pokorny (Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, I 1959 p. 603) traces the word back to Indo-European *klop-ni-, from the root *klep- meaning ‘feucht’ “damp” (cf. Pádraig Ó Cearbhaill, Logainmneacha na hÉireann III: Cluain i Logainmneacha Co. Thiobraid Árann, p. 19). This suggests that cluain originally referred to ‘wet’ pasture, and this was often likely caused by the present of springs therein, although a riverside location appears to be the most common feature of placenames with cluain.

Unlike either tobar or tiobraid, which commonly feature in the beginning of placenames (as the generic) and also as a qualifier as seen above, the word fuarán (< Old Irish úarán ‘spring, ‘a well spring or fountain’’) or any variant thereof, appears to occur as the generic element in initial position of placenames in barely any modern townland name. This observation might lead one to suggest that fuarán wasn’t particularly productive as a word in spoken Irish, but it does, in fact, occur relatively frequently as a qualifier in townland names, which largely undermines any presumption that it wasn’t commonly used in Irish. For example, we have Carrownaworan / Ceathrú na bhFuarán “the quarter (land measure) of the springs” (logainm.ie #45715) in Co. Sligo; Aghanoran / Achadh an Fhuaráin ‘the field of the spring’ (logainm.ie #33002) in Co. Longford; Carrickanoran / Carraig an Fhuaráin ‘the rock of the spring’ in Cos. Kilkenny (logainm.ie #27169) and Monaghan (logainm.ie #40895); Knockanoran / Cnoc an Fhuaráin ‘the hill of the spring’ in Cos. Wexford (logainm.ie #54079), Laois (logainm.ie # 27962) and Cork (logainm.ie #8924); along with Coolanoran / Cúil an Fhuaráin ‘the recess of the spring’ (logainm.ie #32158) in Co. Limerick. Additionally, Baile an Fhuaráin ‘the town(land) of the spring’ is the forerunner to Ballynoran, as found in Cos. Tipperary (logainm.ie #47427) and Cork (logainm.ie #12063), as well as Ballinoran (logainm.ie #31077) in Co. Limerick. In regard to the etymology of fuarán which goes back to Old Irish úarán (dil.ie s.v.), it is generally understood by linguists to be connected to the forerunner of Old Irish úar ‘cold’ (see J. Vendryes, Lexique Étymologique de l’Irlandais Ancien; T U, 1978), and this is clearly how it was understood when the placename An Fuarán ‘the spring, ‘a spring well or fountain’’ was translated as ‘Coldewelle’ [Coldwells] in Co. Kildare as early as 1243 (see logainm.ie #25820).

A further derivate of Old Irish úarán ‘spring, ‘a spring well or fountain’ is the variant órán (Ó Dónaill s.v. órán), as found in a small number of placenames in Connaught, where one finds, for example, Oranbeg / Órán Beag ‘spring, small’ (logainm.ie #18799), and the very well-known neighbouring Oranmore / Órán Mór ‘spring, big’ (logainm.ie #18476) in Co. Galway. Notably, while Oranmore / Órán Mór is attested as ‘Uarán Mór’ in written sources, spoken Irish forms of the name recorded in the 1960s clearly reflect an initial long Ó /oː/ as in /oːrɑːn moːr/, a fact to which recognition was given in the official Irish form of the names, Órán Mór and Órán Beag.

As a qualifier we also find órán ‘spring, fountain’ in a handful of townlands in Co. Galway such as Barnanoraun / Barr na nÓrán ‘the (hill-)top of the springs” (logainm.ie #18055). A number of streams are depicted as having their source in this townland on the Ordnance Survey 6″ map — it is, then, certainly true to its name. Two further townlands that contain this element in Co. Galway are Lisheenanoran / Lisín an Óráin ‘the (small) ringfort of the spring’ (logainm.ie #18424) near Corrandulla, and Oranhill / Cnoc Óráin ‘hill of (the) spring’ (logainm.ie #18615) next to Oranmore. It is also possible that órán, when found as the final element in a number of other placenames refers to a ‘spring’, but sometimes this may also be a reflex of the homophonous personal name Órán (< Early Mod. Ir. Odhrán), e.g. Cloonoran / Cluain Óráin ‘meadow, pasture of (the) spring; or Órán’s meadow, pasture’ (logainm.ie #20540) in Co. Galway (see also Castlebellew / Cluain Óráin Íochtarach (logainm.ie #20538) and Cloonoranoughter / Cluain Óráin Uachtarach (logainm.ie #20527); along with two townlands called Gorteenoran (logainm.ie #30371) and Georgia or Gorteenoran (logainm.ie #30390) in Co. Leitrim, which are both from an original Goirtín Óráin ‘(small) field of (the) spring; or ‘Órán’s (small) field’.

In the case of Oran / Órán (logainm.ie # 2114) in Co. Roscommon there can be no doubt about its origin as it is attested a number of times in Irish literary sources, both in the simplex form of ‘Uarán’, and with qualifiers as in ‘Fuaran Mhoighe h-Oi’ ‘Órán of Maigh nAí’ (Maigh nAí is a defunct territorial name) and ‘Uarán nGaraidh’ (et var.) which retain the more conservative spellings (f)uarán ‘spring, fountain’. Anglicised ‘Oraneclabby’ recorded circa 1660 reflects another longer version of this placenames namely Órán Uí Chlabaigh ‘Órán of Ó Clabaigh’ (< Uarán), and this association with the surname Ó Clabaigh is no accident or once-off. In 1558 ‘Giolla Colaim O Clapaicch [Giolla Cholaim Ó Clabaigh]’ was described as the successor of St. Patrick at Oran (ARE V, p. 1542), and 100 years earlier in 1454 ‘Cornelius Oclabaid [Conchúr? Ó Clabaigh]’ was recorded as ‘perpetual vicar’ of this parish, i.e. ‘St. Patrick’s de Fuaian [Fuaran]’ (Calendar of Papal Registers X, pp. 704-714). Ó Clabaigh was accused by ‘Maurice Oclabaid [Muiris? Ó Clabaigh]’of having made a ‘simoniacal agreement’ to divide the ecclesiastical income of Oran with ‘Matthew Oclabaid [Matha Ó Clabaigh] who has also formerly claimed a right to that vicarage’. We have, then, three Ó Clabaighs involved in the dispute concerning the fruits of this parish, which is actually no coincidence. This family’s association with the ecclesiastical foundation at Oran was so profound that P. W. Woulfe specifically referred to the Ó Clabaighs function as ‘erenaghs [airchinnigh ‘stewards’] of the church founded by St. Patrick’s at Oran’ (Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall). In this regard it is important to note that clerical families in the Gaelic Irish church, as in this instance, were not as we would imagine in today’s world — in fact the office of parish vicar or comharba ‘successor (of the founder)’ frequently passed from father to son (both being priests). Indeed, in this instance it is possible that both ‘Matthew’ and ‘Cornelius’ were father and son. There certainly seems to be more than initially meets the eye in the history of the placename Oran and it’s Irish precursors!

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 20/07/2026

We are fortunate enough in Ireland that the worst ‘water shortage’ we suffer is the occasional hosepipe ban in mid-July. Not all countries are so lucky! If we do have a hot summer, we are reminded of the vital importance of a reliable supply of fresh potable water. Local authorities – and nowadays also Uisce Éireann – often turn to boreholes to exploit the abundant natural water reservoirs under our feet, but of course, Mother Nature is also kind enough to bring the water to the surface in the form of natural springs. One way or another, humans have been going to the well for many thousands of years, and it is no surprise that references to these important sources of fresh water are also abundant in Irish townland names.

This week we will introduce the most common terms for wells or springs in placenames, beginning with tiobra ‘well, spring, fountain, source’ (see eDIL s.v. tipra; cf. Carey, Éigse 52 (2002) p. 80). This word often occurs in its fossilized oblique form tiobraid, the most well-known example of which is of course Tipperary / Tiobraid Árann ‘the well of/at the (river) Ára’. (See River Ara / An Ára (#67249); cf. F.J. Byrne, Éigse 9 (1958) p. 25). Another term is fuarán ‘spring, fountain’ (Ó Dónaill s.v. fuarán; var. uarán), as in Carrownaworan / Ceathrú na bhFuarán ‘the quarter(land) of the springs, fountains’ (logainm.ie #45715) in Co. Sligo. Fuarán is a development from the Old Irish úarán ‘spring, well or fountain’ (eDIL s.v.). As we will see next week, this also developed to órán in some dialects, especially in Connaught, e.g. Oran / Órán ‘spring, fountain’ (logainm.ie #2114) in Co. Roscommon.

Of course, the word that most frequently occurs in placenames – so frequently that we could not possibly list all the examples – is tobar ‘a well, fountain, spring, source’ (Ó Dónaill s.v.; eDIL s.v. topar). While the toibreacha, tiobracha, fuaráin and uaráin that gave their names to these places can all be presumed to have been sources of good potable water, other characteristics are sometimes implied in the placename itself. For example, in Co. Wexford we have Toberanierin near Camolin – a location now probably most famous as the site of a United Irishman victory during the 1798 rebellion – for which the linguistic evidence collected by the Placenames Branch clearly suggests derivation from Tobar an Iarainn ‘the well of the iron’ (logainm.ie #52786) (‘Tober in ernig’ 1581). It is salient to note that there is a well in Toberanierin South described on the Ordnance Survey 6″ map (1st edition) as a Spa Well, and on later editions as a Spa Well (Chalybeate). Chalybeate generally refers to mineral waters containing salts of iron, which became fashionable to consume in the 18th century. Unlike many other ‘luxury destination spas’ which have sprung up around the country in recent years – even in locations with no such natural chalybeate feature – the well in Toberanierin does not seem to have been exploited for its medicinal benefits in living memory. Nevertheless, the Irish townland name tells us that its special properties were well-known long before the Spa Well was engraved on the 19th-century maps.

Well-names sometimes refer to more specific cures. (For a thorough discussion of curative and supernatural associations of wells see The holy wells of County Kilkenny (2018) by Dr. Pádraig Ó Dálaigh, former Higher Placenames Officer at the Placenames Branch.) The reason for the naming of Toberanania / Tobar an Fhaithne ‘the well of (the cure for) the wart” (logainm.ie #45003) in Co. Sligo, for example, needs no explanation. (It is interesting that by the mid-19th century local Irish-speakers appear to have reinterpreted faithne as the name of a weed.) An interesting investigation was carried out at Tobernagalt / Tobar na nGealt ‘the well of the mad people’ (logainm.ie #1414570) in the townland of Scrallaghbeg / An Screallach Bheag (#24607) in the well-known valley of Glannagalt / Gleann na nGealt ‘the valley of the mad people’ (logainm.ie #24603), close to the Co. Kerry Gaeltacht. The Ordnance Survey Parish Namebook (1841) described the well as ‘a Spring … visited by the Mad people’ and noted that it was located only a hundred metres or so from ‘Ath na nGelth’ [Áth na nGealt ‘the ford of the mad people’]. When the producers of the TG4 programme Cogar had a sample of water from Tobar na nGealt analysed, it was discovered that it was unusually rich in lithium, a mineral frequently used in the treatment of bipolar disorders and depression (see West Kerry Blog). Whether coincidence or not, it would be interesting to find out if the waters in any of the springs around another Glannagalt / Gleann na nGealt ‘the valley of the mad people’ (logainm.ie #41350) in the parish of Kilbarrymeadan in Co. Waterford have similar qualities! Not only that, it would be very desirable to carry out a similar analysis of the water in all the wells locally reputed to have had traditional curative powers, as recorded in sources such as the Ordnance Survey records or the later Schools’ Folklore Collection. We could be in for some very revealing findings.

Further examples of tobar, tiobra/tiobraid and fuarán, uarán will be discussed next week.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Featured themes

Briars, cranks and Strawberryhill
Lisnadrish/Lios na Drise
(logainm.ie #19957)

Shesheraghmore / An tSeisreach Mhór
“the big ploughland” (logainm.ie #45859)

Blackberries, greenfields, and briars.
Mullannasmear/Mullán na Sméar
(logainm.ie #52671)

Áit Tí na Scoile/Attinaskollia
“the place of the schoolhouse”
Áit Tí na Scoile / Attinaskollia

More orchards, more apple-trees and native folk etymologies.
Avalbane/Abhaill Bhán “the white apple-tree (i.e. orchard)”
(see logainm.ie #40526)

Apple-trees and orchards, and youthful deeds
Applefort/Cnoc na nÚll “the hill of the apples”
(see logainm.ie #7820)

Links, linguistics and a fearthainn with no rain
Murroogh/Muirbheach “level stretch of sandy land along sea-shore, links”
(see logainm.ie #18664)

Placenames and floods: a red flag for planners, a boon for rewetting! (Part II)
Lagore / Loch Gabhar (“lake of (the white) horses”)
(logainm.ie #37986)

Cold water and wells: tiobra, tiobraid, uarán, fuarán, órán
Oran/Órán ‘spring, fountain’
(see logainm.ie #2114)

Fresh water and wells
Tobar na nGealt ‘the well of the mad people’
(see logainm.ie #1414570)

Featured themes

Briars, cranks and Strawberryhill Lisnadrish/Lios na Drise (logainm.ie #19957)

Shesheraghmore / An tSeisreach Mhór “the big ploughland” (logainm.ie #45859)

Blackberries, greenfields, and briars. Mullannasmear/Mullán na Sméar (logainm.ie #52671)

Áit Tí na Scoile/Attinaskollia “the place of the schoolhouse” Áit Tí na Scoile / Attinaskollia

More orchards, more apple-trees and native folk etymologies. Avalbane/Abhaill Bhán “the white apple-tree (i.e. orchard)” (see logainm.ie #40526)

Apple-trees and orchards, and youthful deeds Applefort/Cnoc na nÚll “the hill of the apples” (see logainm.ie #7820)

Links, linguistics and a fearthainn with no rain Murroogh/Muirbheach “level stretch of sandy land along sea-shore, links” (see logainm.ie #18664)

Placenames and floods: a red flag for planners, a boon for rewetting! (Part II) Lagore / Loch Gabhar (“lake of (the white) horses”) (logainm.ie #37986)

Cold water and wells: tiobra, tiobraid, uarán, fuarán, órán Oran/Órán ‘spring, fountain’ (see logainm.ie #2114)

Fresh water and wells Tobar na nGealt ‘the well of the mad people’ (see logainm.ie #1414570)

Briars, cranks and Strawberryhill
Lisnadrish/Lios na Drise
(logainm.ie #19957)

Shesheraghmore / An tSeisreach Mhór
“the big ploughland” (logainm.ie #45859)

Blackberries, greenfields, and briars.
Mullannasmear/Mullán na Sméar
(logainm.ie #52671)

Áit Tí na Scoile/Attinaskollia
“the place of the schoolhouse”
Áit Tí na Scoile / Attinaskollia

More orchards, more apple-trees and native folk etymologies.
Avalbane/Abhaill Bhán “the white apple-tree (i.e. orchard)”
(see logainm.ie #40526)

Apple-trees and orchards, and youthful deeds
Applefort/Cnoc na nÚll “the hill of the apples”
(see logainm.ie #7820)

Links, linguistics and a fearthainn with no rain
Murroogh/Muirbheach “level stretch of sandy land along sea-shore, links”
(see logainm.ie #18664)

Placenames and floods: a red flag for planners, a boon for rewetting! (Part II)
Lagore / Loch Gabhar (“lake of (the white) horses”)
(logainm.ie #37986)

Cold water and wells: tiobra, tiobraid, uarán, fuarán, órán
Oran/Órán ‘spring, fountain’
(see logainm.ie #2114)

Fresh water and wells
Tobar na nGealt ‘the well of the mad people’
(see logainm.ie #1414570)