Featured themes

Date: 18/05/2026

An enthralling sight of the Irish countryside in May is the ubiquitous hawthorn in bloom, sometimes called in Irish bláth bán na Bealtaine “the white flower of May” (not to be confused with lus buí Bealtaine “yellow herb of May”, i.e., the marsh-marigold). Just as the blossom of the hawthorn proliferates across the country at this time of year, the Irish name of the tree itself, an sceach (gheal), features in quite an incredible number of townland names — some 200 in total. Aghnaskea/Achadh na Sceach (#33241) in County Longford and Gortnaskeagh/Gort na Sceach in Counties Kerry (#22982) and Leitrim (#29856) both mean “the field of the hawthorns”. The loose translations of Thornhill in County Cork, from Cnoc na Sceach “the hill of the hawthorns” (#8762) and Bushfield in County Laois, from Machaire na Sceach “the plain, field of the hawthorns” (#28712) are interesting given the secondary meaning of sceach “thorn-bush”. Bushypark in County Galway, too, appears to be a translation of Páirc na Sceach “the park of the hawthorns” (#18670), while on the other hand, Bushypark in County Kildare (#25159) seems to be of English origin. Yet another Bushypark, in County Cork, may represent a partial translation of Scairt an Arbha “the thicket of the grain” (#10400), which has nothing to do with the sceach “hawthorn; thorn-bush”.
Two instances of sceach (gen. sg. sceiche) in County Wexford deserve special attention, namely Scaughmolin/Sceach Moling “the hawthorn of Saint Moling” (#54320) and Knockskemolin/Cnoc Sceiche Moling “the hill of the hawthorn of Saint Moling” (#53289), as they belong to a peculiar group The hawthorn in bloom Knockskemolin/Cnoc Sceiche Moling “the hill of the hawthorn of St. Moling” (see logainm.ie #53289) of townland names in that county that specifically link the Irish saint Moling to trees. The other placename in this group is Monamolin/Muine Moling “the thicket of Moling”, which is found as the name of two completely distinct townlands — one near Rathnure north of New Ross (#53556), and the other near Ballycanew south of Gorey (#1411737) (also the name of a civil parish). See the following extract from Logainmneacha na hÉireann IV: Townland Names in Co. Wexford (2016) pp. 1209–1210 (published by An Brainse Logainmneacha/Placenames Branch of [what is now] the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media):
Moling, bishop of Ferns diocese in the seventh century, is the eponym of the parish names ST. MULLIN'S (par.) and MONAMOLIN (par.), as well as the townlands of MONAMOLIN (par. Templeludigan) and SCAUGHMOLIN (par. Rathaspick). The generic elements sceach “hawthorn” (see de Vál, 1987 p.56) and muine “thicket, brushwood” in these names may originate in the saint’s association with Suibhne Geilt “Suibhne the madman” in Irish literary tradition. Suibhne, driven mad by the terror of battle, resorted to roaming and living wild in trees and hedges. After an encounter with Saint Moling he began to visit his monastery for food each evening after his travels (see ITS xii). This legend seems to have generated the notion of a particular sceach “hawthorn” or muine “thicket”, where Suibhne could sleep, in the environs of Moling’s foundations. Note that Kilnamanagh, the parish in which this townland [Knockskemolin] is located, was also dedicated to Moling (see Culleton, 1999 p.211; cf. RATHASPICK, par.).

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 11/05/2026

To continue with the theme of summer in the month of May, it is interesting to note that the word grian “sun” is a relatively common element in townland names, although, as usual, some placenames containing this element can be interpreted in more than one way. The presence of the article na in Ballynagrenia/Buaile na Gréine “boley, cattle-fold of the sun” (#50797) in Westmeath confirms that it without doubt refers to the sun. So too Auburn/Achadh na Gréine “the field of the sun” (#50761) also in Westmeath, along with Ballynagrany in Carlow (#3175) and Ballynagrena in Louth (#33997), both from Baile na Gréine “the town(land) of the sun”; In County Cork, we find Sunfort/Lios na Gréine “the ring-fort of the sun” (#10707), Rossnagrena/Ros na Gréine “the wooded height of the sun” (#8543) and Ardnagrena/Ard na Gréine “the height of the sun” (#12993). Other similar examples can be found elsewhere in the country too, and in this regard mention must be made of Monagreany/Móin na Gréine “the bogland of the sun” (#53213) in Wexford, the county which nowadays sells itself as part of the Sunny Southeast.
Where the article na is absent, things can become far more problematic. For instance, as Grian (genitive G(h)réine) is also the name of a female character in Irish mythology, Athgreany/Áth Gréine (#54756) in Wicklow might be interpreted as “the ford of Grian”. However, in this instance there is a stone circle in the townland, of which the ‘outlier and the entrance stones are in a direct line with the setting sun at the Midwinter Solstice’ (R. Marsh; Tales of the Wicklow Hills, p. 67). This information sways the balance of probability back in favour of grian “sun”. In the case of Knockgrean/Cnoc Gréine (#32401) in County Limerick, things get even more complicated. That placename refers neither to the heavenly body nor to the personal name, but to the ancient district called Grian which gave its name to the modern civil parish of Grean (#1547) (seeLogainmneacha na hÉireann I: Contae Luimnigh). As always, it is evident that each name must be analysed individually in order to determine its original meaning. Note Tomgraney/Tuaim Ghréine “mound of (the) sun” or “the mound of Grian” (#7778) in County Clare; Ballygreany/Bealach Gréine “pass of the sun” or “the pass of Grian” (#40528) in County Monaghan; the two townlands called Kilgraney/Cill Ghréine “church of (the) sun” or “the church of Grian” (#3513), (#3120) in County Carlow and Coolgreany/Cúil Ghréine “recess of (the) sun” or “the recess of Grian” (#52954) in County Wexford. In many cases it will be exceedingly difficult to disentangle the evidence. Indeed, the very fact that Grian was a figure of Irish mythology means that the likes of Bealach Gréine “pass of (the) sun” (#40528) could always be reinterpreted as containing the name Grian, particularly given the propensity in native Irish culture to create origin tales based on such mythology.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 04/05/2026

Unlike the word for the native Irish festival of spring, Iombolg (< Old Irish Imbolc), which was completely superseded by Lá Fhéile Bhríde “the feast day of Saint Brigit” during the early Christian period, the Irish word for the festival of Summer, Bealtaine (< OIr. Beltaine) remains in common use right up until the present day, generally in reference to the whole month of May (see eDIL s.v. Bel(l)taine). It also survives in a handful of townland names including Lisbalting/Lios Bealtaine “the ring-fort of May” (#48350) in Tipperary, Beltany/An Bhealtaine in Donegal (#16481) and Tyrone (#63248), Beltany Mountain/Sliabh na Bealtaine (#14425) in Donegal and Tamnaghvelton/Tamhnaigh Bhealtaine “the grassy upland of May” (#1417840) in Armagh, the townland in which the mill-town of Laurelvale (#136051) was established in the nineteenth century. A more unusual placename containing an indirect reference to Bealtaine “May” is Baile Maoilbhealtaine “the town(land) of Maoilbhealtaine” (#12121) in Cork. Maoilbhealtaine is an exceedingly rare personal name modelled on the type seen in Maolphádraig “servant of Pádraig” < maol + Pádraig/Saint Patrick (eDIL s.v. 3 Máel). This once-common manner of forming personal names, discussed in an earlier note, seems to have largely died out by the late medieval period. This structure typically involved maol + a saint’s name, but by-names or nicknames were also formed on the same model, as in Maolanfa “servant of (the) storm” < anfa “storm”, from which we get the surname Ó Maolanfa (var. Ó Maolanfaidh)/Melamfy. The personal name Maoilbhealtaine “servant of Bealtaine/May” doubtless belongs to this category. Baile Maoilbhealtaine was anglicized as Maytown, which, of course, is only partially accurate — the fact that it contains an old Gaelic personal name has been lost in the translation. There are two other townlands named Maytown in Ireland, one in Wexford and one in Armagh. However, neither appear to have any connection with the month of May or the festival of Bealtaine. In Wexford, Maytown (#54165) is possibly an English placename consisting of mead “meadow” and town, while the etymology of Maytown in Armagh is even more opaque (see the discussion note and historical evidence at PlacenamesNI.org). For a full discussion of Bealtaine see Kay Muhr, ‘Bealtaine in Irish and Scottish Place-names’, The Journal of Scottish Name Studies 10.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 30/04/2026

On the approach to May 2024 in our series of weekly notes on placenames at logainm.ie we highlighted the fact that the Irish word for the festival of Summer, Bealtaine, remains in common use in Irish up to the present day, generally in reference to the whole month of May (see logainm.ie Baile Maoilbhealtaine). The word also occurs in a handful of townland names including Lisbalting / Lios Bealtaine ‘(the) ring-fort of May’ (logainm.ie #48350) in Co. Tipperary, as well as Beltany / An Bhealtaine in Cos. Donegal (logainm.ie #16481) and Tyrone (logainm.ie #63248), along with Beltany Mountain / Sliabh na Bealtaine (logainm.ie #14425) in Co. Donegal and Tamnaghvelton / Tamhnaigh Bhealtaine ‘(the) grassy upland of May’ (logainm.ie #1417840) in Co. Armagh.

A more unusual example indirectly alluding to Bealtaine ‘May’ is Baile Maoilbhealtaine ‘the town(land) of Maoilbhealtaine’ in Co. Cork. Maoilbhealtaine is a very rare personal name of the same structure found in Maolphádraig < maol ‘servant’ of Pádraig (St. Patrick). This once-common method of forming personal names, which seems to have died out by the late medieval period, generally involved the use of maol + a saint’s name. However, by-names were also formed on the same model, as for example Maolanfa ‘servant of anfa (‘storm’)’, the source of the surname Ó Maolanfa (var. Ó Maolanfaidh), usually anglicized Melamfy, or similar. The personal name Maoilbhealtaine belongs to the latter category. The townland name Baile Maoilbhealtaine was anglicized as Maytown, which, of course, does not give the full story, as the fact that it contains a personal name has been lost in the translation. There are two other townlands named Maytown in Ireland, one in Co. Wexford and one in Co. Armagh. However, neither appear to have any connection with the month of May. Maytown in Wexford seems originally to be an English formation from mead ‘meadow’ + town (see Logainmneacha na hÉireann IV: Townland Names of Co. Wexford), while the etymology of Maytown in Armagh is even more opaque and remains unclear (see placenamesni.org: Maytown).

There are also a small number of townlands called Mayfield in English, e.g. Mayfield or Ballynagalliagh / Baile na gCailleach (logainm.ie #25175) in Co. Kildare; Mayfield or Rocketscastle / Gort Ardach ‘field of Ardach’ (where Ardach was itself a placename) (logainm.ie #49141) in Co. Waterford; Mayfield / Lios Mhic Fheorais ‘the ring-fort of Mac Fheorais’ (logainm.ie #36128) in Co. Mayo (discussed below); and the well-known district of Mayfield / Baile na mBocht ‘the town(land) of the poor’ (logainm.ie #129588) to the northeast of Cork City.

As can be seen by their Irish names, none of these Mayfields are translations or pseudo-translations, as was the case with Co. Cork’s Maytown < Baile Mhaoilbhealtaine. Rather, they are late 18th- or early 19th-century English creations deriving from house names (see Mayfield (House), Mayfield Cottage). The Irish name found in Mayfield or Ballynagalliagh / Baile na gCailleach ‘the town(land) of the nuns’ (logainm.ie #25175) in Co. Kildare doubtless refers to this townland having once been in the possession of the ‘Nunnery of Kildare’ (Irish Monastic Possessions, 1540-1541, p. 146). Baile na mBocht ‘the town(land) of the poor’ (logainm.ie #129588), the original Irish name of Mayfield in Cork, was also ecclesiastical land, possibly part of the estate of Saint Stephen’s of Cork (see Calendar of Patent Rolls, p. 244b). The names Baile na mBocht ‘the town(land) of the poor’ and Baile Bocht ‘town(land) of (the) poor’ generally appear to apply to ecclesiastical land that had been set aside for the needy (see Logainmneacha na hÉireann IV: Townlands in Co. Wexford, s.n. Ballybought / Baile Bocht, p. 232). The Irish name of Mayfield or Rocketscastle / Gort Ardach ‘field of Ardach’ (logainm.ie #49141) in Co. Waterford does not refer to any ecclesiastical foundation, but apparently implies that this Gort was part of a larger area called Ardach. The earliest attestation to the alias Rocketscastle is ‘Rockwells Castle’ in the Civil Survey of 1654, at which time it was home to ‘Richard Strang … Irish Papist’ (p. 106). The original name of Mayfield (logainm.ie #36128) in Co. Mayo, namely Lios Mhic Fheorais ‘the ring-fort of Mac Fheorais’, is particularly interesting (see F. Mac Gabhann, Logainmneacha Mhaigh Eo, vol. 7). The name Mac Fheorais is technically a patronymic, meaning literally ‘the son of an individual named Feoras’. (Feoras is an alternative form of Piaras, the gaelicized version of Anglo-Norman Piers.) However, Mac Fheorais was also adopted as a surname by the gaelicized (de) Bermingham family (see P. W. Woulfe Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall). Senior branches of this family were located at Carrick / Carraig Fheorais ‘the rock of Feoras (by metonymy, the de Berminghams)’ (logainm.ie #25517) and Russellswood / Coill an Ruiséalaigh (logainm.ie #25523) in Co. Kildare, and in Ballinabrackey / Buaile na Bréachmhaí ‘the boley of the wolf-plain’ (logainm.ie #133201), Castlejordan / Caisleán Shiurdáin (logainm.ie #38936) and Longwood / Maigh Dearbhaí (logainm.ie #38954) in Co. Westmeath (see Analecta Hibernica 18 ‘The O Clery Book of Genealogies’). Further west, their presence in Connaught was so strong that part of Co. Galway actually became known as ‘Bermingham’s country’ (E. MacLysaght, More Irish Families, p. 33). It is unsurprising, therefore, that Ordnance Survey fieldwork in 1838 found that Mayfield / Lios Mhic Fheorais in Co. Mayo was locally understood to contain this surname.

As to the English house names from which the other examples of Mayfield derive, the original naming motivation may simply have been the connotations of summer that May invokes. Indeed, Mayfield still has great cachet in the modern Anglosphere. It occurs frequently in the names of streets and housing estates developed in 20th-century Ireland, with many examples found in the streetscapes of Cos. Cork, Dublin, Kilkenny, Limerick, Louth, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford (see sráidainm.ie) along with Cos. Antrim and Down (see placenamesni.org).

Note finally that some instances of Mayfield in placenames in England appear to derive from the mayweed, a most charming plant with daisy-like flowers. For example, Mayfield in East Sussex is derived from ‘Magavelda … “Open land where mayweed grows”. O[ld] E[nglish] mægthe + feld’ (Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names). (Note that Mayfield in Staffordshire appears to be from ‘Medevelde … Matherfeld … “Open land where madder grows”. O[ld] E[nglish] mæddre [‘madder’] + feld’.) This plant is known in Irish as lus anainn or, lately, lus Bhealtaine (téarma.ie). However, the English name mayweed is not common in the vocabulary of modern Hiberno-English and none of the examples of Mayfield in Ireland are likely to refer to this plant.

For more information on Bealtaine in Irish and Scottish placenames see: Kay Muhr, ‘Bealtaine in Irish and Scottish Place-names’, The Journal of Scottish Name Studies 10. https://clog.glasgow.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/JSNS/article/view/134/162

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Justin Ó Gliasáin)

Date: 20/04/2026

As we are now well into calving season in the countryside it is interesting to note some of the numerous townland names that refer to the two common words signifying calf in Irish, gamhain and lao. Although placenames referring to calves form only a small portion of the huge overall number of townland names which refer to cows (a proliferation which derives from the central importance of cattle husbandry in Gaelic Irish society) they are nonetheless far too numerous to list in full here. Examples include Ballinalea/Buaile na Lao “the boley, cattle-fold of the calves” (#55476) in Wicklow; Móin na Lao/Móin na Lao “the bog(land) of the calves” (#53313) in Wexford; Cornalee/Corr na Lao “the round hill of the calves” (#42521) in Roscommon; Gortnalee/Gort na Lao in Laois (#28695) and Fermanagh (#60537); Lios na Lao “the ringfort of the calves”, which is the forerunner to Lisnalea in Cavan and Kilkenny as well as Lisnalee in Monaghan (see logainm.ie); Cluain Lao “pasture of (the) calves”, which is the forerunner to Clonlea in Clare, Clonleigh in Donegal, Cloonlee in Galway, Roscommon and Mayo, Clonlee in Offaly, Clonalea in Tipperary (see logainm.ie); Drumalee/Droim an Lao “the ridge of the calf” (#4602) in Cavan. Killaloo in Derry is from Coill an Lao “the wood of the calf” (#58830), a placename that makes clear that the existence of woodland and cattle husbandry need not be mutually exclusive, as is often the case with more intensive modern farming methods. (Note that all of the placenames referring to calves in the plural use the genitive form …na lao “of the calves” rather than the modern ‘strong plural’ ending …na laonna “of the calves” [see eDIL s.v. lóeg]; we know of no townland name, excluding modern translations such as Deerpark/Páirc na bhFianna, whose Irish form contains a strong genitive plural ending in -anna.) The particularly deceiving spelling of Culdaly in Sligo at first sight seems to point to the surname Ó Dálaigh/Daly, but in fact this townland name is pronounced with the stress on the last syllable. It is an anglicization of Coill Dá Lao “wood of (the) two calves” (#45533), another placename that reflects the practice of cattle-grazing in wooded areas. Remarkably, a 1930 recording of one of the last native Irish speakers from the Culdaly area features a song praising the wonders of this very townland (archived online at the Doegen Records Web Project under the title ‘Coill Dá Laogh’). Of note in the context of the current article is the laudatory line ‘Tá caoirigh bhána ann is díol eallaigh…’ (“There are white sheep there and plenty cattle…”).

Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill

Date: 13/04/2026

Nowadays, most of the garlic we use in everyday cooking is imported from the Far East. However, at this time of year the Irish countryside provides us with an abundant, if vastly underused, native alternative. Practically overnight, whole swathes of moist, shaded areas – such as the woodlands along the River Liffey in Lucan, Co. Dublin – become carpeted in wild garlic, with its characteristic leaves and unmistakable aroma. The striking effect readily explains the proliferation of the Irish word creamhchoill ‘wild-garlic wood’ in townland names across the country. (Creamhchoill is a close compound of creamh ‘wild garlic’ [etymologically related to the English word ramsons] + coill ‘wood’.)

As well as being easy to recognize, areas producing wild garlic were also highly prized in early Irish society. In his essential book Early Irish Farming (EIF), based mainly on an analysis of early legal texts, Fergus Kelly reveals many details of the traditional early Irish diet and other aspects of native culture all but erased from the national consciousness after the destruction of Gaelic society in the 17th century. One text explicitly states the esteem in which creamh (OIr. crem) ‘wild garlic’ was held in the early period. The plant was so highly valued that every year, just before Easter, a client was obliged to provide his lord with a creimhfheis (OIr. crimḟeis) ‘garlic feast’ – consisting of wild garlic, cheese and milk – on pain of a fine (EIF pp.308-309). (We may note in passing that the early texts also show that garlic-flavoured butter was on the menu in Gaelic Ireland (ibid., p.326), over a thousand years before the arrival of garlic bread with modern Italian cuisine.)

The importance of creamh ‘wild garlic’ to our Gaelic ancestors is also reflected in numerous townland names. The most direct reference is An Chreamhach, the forerunner to Knavagh (logainm.ie #21264) in Co. Galway, which means simply ‘the place abounding in wild garlic’. However, by far the most common placename referring to creamh is the abovementioned Creamhchoill ‘wild-garlic wood’. This Irish name produces a variety of anglicized versions such as Crophill (logainm.ie #25013) and Crewhill (logainm.ie #25421) in Co. Kildare; Crawhill (logainm.ie #44483) in Co. Sligo; Craffield (logainm.ie #55217) in Co. Wicklow; Cranfield (logainm.ie #63045) and Crankill (logainm.ie #62934) in Co. Antrim; and Cranfield in Cos. Down (logainm.ie #67021) and Tyrone (logainm.ie #64206). Note the tendency towards analogy with the unrelated English placename elements field and hill in these anglicized forms. The townland name Greamhchoill (logainm.ie #35416) in the Co. Mayo Gaeltacht (formerly Graghil in English) is a development from this same word Creamhchoill via the prepositional phrase i gCreamhchoill ‘in Creamhchoill’. (In the late 20th-century one local explanation of the name was based on analogy with grean ‘grit, gravel’ + poill ‘holes’!)

The same word also occurs in townland names in conjunction with other generic elements, e.g. Cluain Creamhchoille / Clooncraffield ‘(wet) pasture of (the) wild-garlic wood’ (logainm.ie #43547) in Co. Roscommon, and Deramfield / Doire Chreamhchoille ‘(oak-)wood, grove of (the) wild-garlic wood’ (logainm.ie #5238) in Co. Cavan.

Far less common than Creamhchoill are the following references to woods of wild garlic in the form of open compounds, likely to be of later origin: see for example Killycramph / Coill an Chreamha ‘the wood of the wild garlic’ (logainm.ie #4729) in Co. Cavan, and Derrycraff / Doire Chreamha ‘(oak-)wood, grove of wild garlic’ (logainm.ie #37526) in Co. Mayo. Killycramph, the name of two townlands in Co. Fermanagh (logainm.ie #59847; #60938), also appears to derive from Coill an Chreamha or Coillidh Chreamha ‘(the) wood of (the) wild garlic’ (see placenamesni.org).

Occurrences of creamh ‘wild garlic’ are not restricted to townland names denoting woodlands, although that collocation is significant. There are numerous instances of the placename Cluain Creamha ‘(wet) pasture, meadow of (the) wild garlic’: we find it anglicized as Cloncrew (logainm.ie #31745) in Co. Limerick; Clooncraff (logainm.ie #43986) in Co. Roscommon; and Coolcraff [sic] (logainm.ie #33013) in Co. Longford. As it happens, three separate examples of Cluain Creamha fell victim to big-house rebranding during the 18th century: in Co. Offaly it became [Cloncraff or] Bloomhill (logainm.ie #41358); in Co. Longford, Mountdavis (logainm.ie #103036); and in Co. Roscommon, Mountdillon (logainm.ie #44249).

Other names of more or less low-lying places containing references to creamh include Eanach Creamha ‘marsh of (the) wild garlic’, which is the forerunner to both Annacroff (logainm.ie #39266) and Annacramph (logainm.ie #41059) in Co. Monaghan; Gleann Creamha ‘valley of (the) wild garlic’, anglicized Glengraff (logainm.ie #18148) in Co. Galway and Glencrue (logainm.ie #46351) in Co. Tipperary; Tamhnach an Chreamha / Tawnaghaknaff ‘the green field of the wild garlic’ (logainm.ie #36790) in Co. Mayo; and Currach an Chreamha / Curraghacnav ‘the wet land of the garlic’ (logainm.ie #49862) in Co. Waterford. (We will discuss the variation between -cr- and -cn-/-kn- in subsequent notes.)

Townlands on higher ground include Drumgramph / Droim gCreamha ‘ridge of (the) wild garlic’ (logainm.ie #40102; #40113) in Co. Monaghan and Lettercraff / Leitir Creamha ‘hillside of (the) wild garlic’ (logainm.ie #20876) (alongisde Lettercraffroe / Leitir Creamha Rua ‘(the) red Leitir Creamha’ (logainm.ie #20877)) in Co. Galway. We find Corr an Chreamha ‘the round hill of the wild garlic’ anglicized as Corcraff (logainm.ie #4910) in Co. Cavan and twice as Corracramph, in Cos. Donegal (logainm.ie #14240) and Leitrim (logainm.ie #30129). We also find creamh qualifying the generic element ros, whose semantic range includes ‘point, headland’, ‘(wooded) height’ and simply ‘wood’. The close compound Creamhros (logainm.ie #15878) – anglicized Croaghros – refers to high ground on the banks of Lough Swilly in Co. Donegal and the open compound Ros an Chreamha (logainm.ie #10627) – anglicized Bettyville! – refers to elevated ground near Kanturk in Co. Cork.

Even islands can be named after this popular little plant. Anyone in the vicinity of Westport in Co. Mayo at this time of the year might fancy a trip out to Clew Bay to see if Crovinish / Creimhinis ‘wild-garlic island’ (logainm.ie #37260) remains true to its name.

These Irish townland names provide more evidence for the popularity of wild garlic in Gaelic Ireland, further to the special mention it received in the early legal texts. So next time you are tucking into a nice garlicky meal, as well as daydreaming of Lombardy, Tuscany and Venice you might also consider the fact that your Gaelic forebears were just as fond of the very same flavour, in the form of the native creamh.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 03/04/2026

While only one known example of An Nollaig “Christmas” occurs among townland names, namely Boleynanollag/Buaile na Nollag “the boley, cattle-fold of Christmas” (#21027) in Galway, the feast of An Cháisc “Easter” occurs far more frequently. On a similar theme to Boleynanollag/Buaile na Nollag we find Boolanacausk/Buaile na Cásca “the boley, cattle-fold of Easter” (#7433) in Clare; and another Buaile na Cásca was loosely translated Easterfield (#20989) in Galway. These names most likely referred to an area of land that regularly became available for grazing each year around Easter. It is notable, however, that most of the other townland names referring to An Cháisc “Easter” specifically refer to elevated ground, as in Knocknacaska/Cnoc na Cásca “the hill of Easter” (#24263) in Kerry; Cornacask/Corr na Cásca “the round hill of Easter” (#20472) in Galway (also half-translated as Easterfield); Drumcask/Droim Cásca “the ridge of Easter” (#4026) in Cavan; and Mullanacask/Mullach na Cásca “the summit of Easter” (#40582) in Monaghan. These names probably derive from the native Irish custom of holding assemblies on hills. Indeed, this is hinted at in the explanation of Cnoc na Cásca “the hill of Easter” in Kerry which John O’Donovan wrote in the Parish Namebook of the Ordnance Survey: ‘hill of Easter (meetings here)’. In Monaghan he noted ‘some ceremonies here Easter Sunday’ in the case of Mullanacask/Mullach na Cásca “the summit of Easter”. How Kilnacask/Coill na Cásca “the wood of Easter” (#48861) in Tipperary might have received its name is, however, less certain.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 02/04/2026

Easter will be celebrated this year by most Christians on Sunday, April 5th (for most Orthodox churches it will be Sunday, April 12th), which conveniently brings us to the topic of the Easter Bunny and a look at the occurrence of all things coinín ‘rabbit’ in the townland names of Ireland. However, before we discuss examples we must briefly continue with last month’s note concerning its evolutionary cousin, the (mad March) hare. These swift and graceful animals were apparently hunted in the distant past, and in the Old Irish tale Táin Bó Fraích (ed. Meid, lines 53–55) we find a description of hounds in pursuit of seven hares (míl maige), seven deer (ag), seven foxes (sinnach) and seven wild boar (torc alta) (cf. Fergus Kelly, Early Irish Farming, p. 282). In modern literature, a man’s obsession with hunting a hare (An Cailín Rua ‘the reddish(-furred) girl’) forms the plot to Pádraig Ua Maoileoin’s excellent novella Fonn a Níos Fiach. However, despite this literary record of the pursuit of the hare in an ancient Irish hunt, there has been a long-standing reluctance to eat that particular animal in Ireland. Compare the frequency of tales about hares with special powers in Bailiúchán na Scol / Schools’ Folklore Collection in 1937–1938 (see Bailiúchán na Scol: Giorria), indicating that they were connected with the otherworld.

In contrast to the hare, however, there appears never to have been any reluctance to consume its evolutionary cousin, the rabbit, after its introduction into Ireland by the Anglo-Normans. (While living in Germany in the 1990s one of the present writers baulked when presented with a dish of Hase ‘hare’, until it was explained that Hase can also denote ‘rabbit’ in most southern German dialects, rather than Standard German Kaninchen. The German word for the Easter Bunny is Osterhase, literally ‘Easter hare’.) Indeed, the keeping of rabbits for consumption by Anglo-Norman colonists, and its subsequent proliferation in the ecosystem over time means that we find the borrowed word coinín ‘rabbit’ (< Mid. English coning) in a number of townland names. Take for example:

Ballinagoneen / Baile na gCoinín ‘the town(land) of the rabbits’ (logainm.ie #55584) in Co. Wicklow;
Clashnagoneen / Clais na gCoinín ‘the trench of the rabbits’ (logainm.ie #50266) in Co. Waterford;
Lisnagoneeny / Lios na gCoiníní ‘the ring-fort of the rabbits’ (logainm.ie #23917) in Co. Kerry;
Kylenagoneeny / Coill na gCoiníní ‘the wood of the rabbits’ (logainm.ie #32443) and Lackanagoneeny / Leaca na gCoiníní ‘the slope of the rabbits’ (logainm.ie #32344) in Co. Limerick;
Rathnaconeen / Ráth na gCoinín ‘the ring-fort of the rabbits’ (logainm.ie #34189) in Co. Mayo;
Knocknagoney / Cnoc na gCoiníní ‘the hill of the rabbits’ (logainm.ie #66067; see also placenamesni.org Knocknagoney) in Co. Down.

Even more common than direct references to the coinín ‘rabbit’ in Irish placenames are references containing coinicéar (var. coinigéar), another borrowing, this time from Middle English conigēr(e) ‘a rabbit warren’. Relatively clear reflexes of the gaelicized form, such as Coneykeare, have sometimes become established as the English-language versions of townland names, but more common are the many English variants such as Cunaberry, Conaberry, Coneyburrow and Warren. (There are too many instances to outline here. A brief search in logainm.ie using the word coinicéar will provide the reader with numerous examples.) Most English-speakers would probably not recognize the underlying meaning of townland names such as Coneyburrow (logainm.ie #16261), Coney Island (logainm.ie #15133) despite their frequency. This is due to the fact that rabbit had gradually replaced the use of coney in English from the 16th century onwards, so that by the 19th century the latter had almost completely fallen out of use. As a result, we can be quite confident that placenames such as Coneyburrow reflect an earlier stratum of English settlement than those in which we find rabbit, such as Rabbit Island (logainm.ie #20889) in Co. Galway and Rabbitburrow (logainm.ie # 42028) in Co. Offaly. A good example is the townland Ballyteige Burrow (logainm.ie #54069) in Co. Wexford, which is described as a ‘cunniger’, ‘cunniborrough’, ‘conygree’ and ‘conyberrew’ in mid-17th century sources, but is found as the ‘Rabbit Burrow of Ballyteigue’ by 1794. Even in the part of Co. Wexford noted for the archaic nature of the English dialect spoken there into the 19th century (see T.P. Dolan & Diarmaid Ó Muirithe, The Dialect of Forth and Bargy, Co. Wexford, Ireland), it would appear that the shift from coney to rabbit had already occurred by the 18th century at least.

Further illustrations of the rising popularity of the word rabbit in place of coney/coning in the English dialect spoken in Ireland was its occasional spread to surnames. The native Irish surname Ó Coinín was initially anglicized phonetically, e.g. Conyeen, Cuneen, Cunneen, Cunnien, but as the language shift to English approached, by the ‘translation’ Rabbit/Rabbitte (see P. W. Woulfe, Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall s.n. Ó Coinín). Thus we find that Carrowconeen / Ceathrú Uí Choinín ‘the quarter of Ó Coinín’ (logainm.ie #34670) was called ‘Rabbithill’ on Bald’s map of Co. Mayo (c. 1817). Only by a hair’s breadth did this placename, then, avoid becoming another victim to the odd pseudo-translation that sometimes occurred in Irish placenames and surnames, and seems to have been particularly common in Cos. Mayo and Roscommon in the early 19th century.

This pseudo-translation of Ó Coinín as Rabbit/Rabbitte, brings us back to the subject of last month’s note, our friend the giorria ‘hare’, by way of another even more bizarre anglicization. The surname Mag Fhearaígh ‘descendant of Fearaíoch’, deriving from a personal name originally meaning ‘manly’ (Early Modern Irish Fearadhach), was commonly anglicized as McGarry and McGerry, etc. However, a perceived similarity in pronunciation of [Ma]g Fhearaígh and giorria “hare” also led to its being ‘translated’ as (O’) Hare (Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall s.n. Mag Fhearadhaigh)! Thus, most of the examples of the surnames Rabbit and (O’)Hare in Ireland have nothing to do with our furry friends. (The unrelated Árainn surname Ó hEithir seems to be a variant of Ó hAichir.)

The endless examples of this type of pseudo-translation can come across as pleasantly diverting, but in fact they are relics of the traumatic language shift which dealt the final blow to Gaelic Ireland.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 30/03/2026

Although the origin of the custom of making fools out of people on 1st April is unclear, it would appear that Ireland, like everywhere else, has always had its share of individuals who have managed to earn that name for themselves — so much so that amadán, one of the many Irish words for “fool” (see eDIL s.v. ammatán), even features in Irish townland names. We have Ardamadane/Ard Amadán “height of (the) fools” (#9258) in Cork, Lisomadaun/Lios Amadáin “ringfort of (the) fool” (#30066) in Leitrim, and Tiromedan/Tír Amadán “land of (the) fools” (#41133) in Monaghan. The word is also found in a number of minor names (names below the level of the adminstrative townland) such as Asnanomedan/Eas an Amadáin “the waterfall of the fool” (#1395279) and Altanamadan Stream/Sruthán Allt an Amadáin “the stream of the cliff of the fool” (#1395230) in Donegal, and a couple of interesting translations such as Beggarman’s Lough/Loch an Amadáin “the lake of the fool” (#1397495) in Galway and — one for the music lovers — Giants Steps/Steipeanna an Amadáin Mhóir “the steps of the big fool” (#1394447) in Kerry. It is safe to say that none of these are likely to be chosen as the names of new housing developments in the near future. Amadán was almost exclusively used in the sense “foolish man”, but in the interests of balance it is important to note that not all fools in Gaelic Ireland were male. The Irish language also has a word usually only used in the sense of a “foolish woman”, namely óinseach (see eDIL s.v. óinsech). Although this word does not occur in any townland name, it does not necessarily follow that there were fewer foolish women than men in Gaelic Ireland. Examples survive from minor names, such as Carrignanonshagh/Carraig na nÓinseach “the rock of the foolish women” (#49787) in Waterford and Lackannoanshagh/Leac na nÓinseach “the flagstone of the foolish women” (#1398247) in Galway. While it is not certain that the name of the Kerry river Owenshagh/An Óinseach (#116521) was originally intended to be identical to this word, it was certainly interpreted as such by later native speakers.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Date: 23/03/2026

The end of January sees us move toward spring, according to the Irish calendar, and so we can take a look at some townland names which refer to the season known in Irish as earrach. Examples include Bolinarra/Buaile an Earraigh “the boley, cattle-fold of spring” (#50846) in Westmeath, and Cnoc an Earraigh “the hill of spring” which is the forerunner to both Knockanarrig in Cork (#13621) and Knockanarra in Mayo (#36039). As seen last week with regard to Irish placenames containing …an tSneachta “of the snow”, the anglicized forms of placenames often reveal interesting information about the local Irish dialect. For instance, in Cork, as well as Knockanarrig/Cnoc an Earraigh we also find Glananarig/Gleann an Earraigh “the valley of spring” (#11325). Both of these anglicized forms reflect the general realization of final palatal (‘slender’) -(a)igh/-(a)idh as /gʹ/ in the spoken Irish of much of Munster. This pronunciation often — though not always — comes through in the local forms of placenames. In contrast, Srahanarry/Sraith an Earraigh “the river-meadow, holm of spring” (#35336) in Mayo, like the abovementioned Knockanarra in the same county and Bolinarra in Westmeath, contains no reflex of the final consonant in ‑(a)igh. (These Mayo names are discussed in detail in the late Dr. Fiachra Mac Gabhann’s essential ten-volume work Logainmneacha Mhaigh Eo.)

Cnoc an Earraigh “the hill of spring” may have been named because of a tendency for spring growth to be unusually advanced at that location. Alternatively, the hill may have been the place where a certain assembly was held at springtime. (There will be more said on the Irish tradition of assemblies in the forthcoming note on Easter.) However, there can be no doubt about the meaning of Buaile an Earraigh “the boley, cattle-fold of spring”: it clearly refers to a location where the land usually became suitable for cattle-grazing in spring. The cow was, of course, the most important animal in native Irish culture, as evidenced by the frequency with which references to cattle and cattle husbandry occur in Irish townland names.

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)

Featured themes

The hawthorn in bloom
Knockskemolin/Cnoc Sceiche Moling “the hill of the hawthorn of St.Moling”
(see logainm.ie #53289)

The sun
Ballygreany/Bealach Gréine “pass of (the) sun”
(see logainm.ie #40528)

Mayday
Maytown/Baile Maoilbhealtaine “the town(land) of Maoilbhealtaine”
(see logainm.ie #12121)

Mayfield / Baile na mBocht
‘the town(land) of the poor’ (logainm.ie #129588)

Calving season
Culdaly/Coill Dá Lao “wood of (the) two calves”
(see logainm.ie #45533)

Carpets of wild garlic
Crewhill / Creamhchoill ‘wild-garlic wood’
(see logainm.ie #25421)

Easter
Knocknacaska/Cnoc na Cásca “the hill of Easter”
(see logainm.ie #24263)

Carrowconeen / Ceathrú Uí Choinín
‘the quarter of Ó Coinín’ (logainm.ie #20889)

Tiromedan / Tír Amadán
“land of (the) fools”
(see logainm.ie #41133)

Spring
Bolinarra/Buaile an Earraigh “the boley, cattle-fold of spring”
(see logainm.ie #50846)

Featured themes

The hawthorn in bloom Knockskemolin/Cnoc Sceiche Moling “the hill of the hawthorn of St.Moling” (see logainm.ie #53289)

The sun Ballygreany/Bealach Gréine “pass of (the) sun” (see logainm.ie #40528)

Mayday Maytown/Baile Maoilbhealtaine “the town(land) of Maoilbhealtaine” (see logainm.ie #12121)

Mayfield / Baile na mBocht ‘the town(land) of the poor’ (logainm.ie #129588)

Calving season Culdaly/Coill Dá Lao “wood of (the) two calves” (see logainm.ie #45533)

Carpets of wild garlic Crewhill / Creamhchoill ‘wild-garlic wood’ (see logainm.ie #25421)

Easter Knocknacaska/Cnoc na Cásca “the hill of Easter” (see logainm.ie #24263)

Carrowconeen / Ceathrú Uí Choinín ‘the quarter of Ó Coinín’ (logainm.ie #20889)

Tiromedan / Tír Amadán “land of (the) fools” (see logainm.ie #41133)

Spring Bolinarra/Buaile an Earraigh “the boley, cattle-fold of spring” (see logainm.ie #50846)

The hawthorn in bloom
Knockskemolin/Cnoc Sceiche Moling “the hill of the hawthorn of St.Moling”
(see logainm.ie #53289)

The sun
Ballygreany/Bealach Gréine “pass of (the) sun”
(see logainm.ie #40528)

Mayday
Maytown/Baile Maoilbhealtaine “the town(land) of Maoilbhealtaine”
(see logainm.ie #12121)

Mayfield / Baile na mBocht
‘the town(land) of the poor’ (logainm.ie #129588)

Calving season
Culdaly/Coill Dá Lao “wood of (the) two calves”
(see logainm.ie #45533)

Carpets of wild garlic
Crewhill / Creamhchoill ‘wild-garlic wood’
(see logainm.ie #25421)

Easter
Knocknacaska/Cnoc na Cásca “the hill of Easter”
(see logainm.ie #24263)

Carrowconeen / Ceathrú Uí Choinín
‘the quarter of Ó Coinín’ (logainm.ie #20889)

Tiromedan / Tír Amadán
“land of (the) fools”
(see logainm.ie #41133)

Spring
Bolinarra/Buaile an Earraigh “the boley, cattle-fold of spring”
(see logainm.ie #50846)