the plain of Reichead?
Reichead — ainm pearsanta mná?

Ainm mná a bhí i Reichead, más fíor don scéal faoi ‘Tulach Eoghain’ sa Dindshenchas. Ach taispeánann cuid den fhianaise luath gur ainm ceantair ab ea é (ATig., Met. Dinds, srl.).

Thagair an t-ainm seo anallód do chuid de bharúntacht Phort na hInse agus do pharóiste Shrúbh Bó (#1460) ó dheas. Pléann Ó Murchadha na foinsí Gaeilge in Laois: History and Society agus pléann Fitzgerald na foinsí gallda in JKAS IV 285–296. Cuirtear síos ar roinnt mhaith iarsmaí seandálaíochta san Fhardal Seandálaíochta (www.archaeology.ie).

Mionainmneacha ar an léarscáil:

1. Díol spéise 1838 ‘an old grave yard … called Skeagh na Killy' LSO II 239, 1841 Skeaghnakilla Graveyard SO 6″ < Sceach na Cille “the hawthorn of the church” i dtuaisceart an bhaile fearainn. Déanann Ó Donnabháin ‘Skeagh na Killy’ seo a ionannú le 1538 ‘Skenkyll’ Topographica Hibernica (lch. 20 den aguisín), ainm atá le fáil idir ‘Straboo’ agus ‘Kiltale’, an dá pharóiste taobh theas de Mhaigh Reichead. Is i ndeoise Leithghlinne atá na paróistí seo, agus féach go bhfuil lúibíní timpeall ar ‘Skenkyll’, b’fhéidir chun a chur in iúl go raibh conspóid faoin ‘vicaria’ áirithe sin. Is iad ‘Ardea’ agus ‘Oregan’ an t-aon dá pharóiste de chuid Chontae Laoise atá le fáil ar liosta dheoise Chill Dara (ibid. 18). Féach go bhfuil 1638c ‘capella S. Brigidæ de Moyrgath’ i ndeoise Chill Dara de réir an Easpaig Mag Eochagáin (Dinnseanchas II 31).
2. Lough Akinshellagh SO < Loch an Chinsealaigh “the lake of An Cinsealach (sloinne)” — cf. bf Baile an Chinsealaigh (#50313) “the town of An Cinsealach” i bPort Láirge.
3. Ní heol dúinn aon tagairt stairiúil don Ancient Road SO ach cf. 13. The Togher SO thíos.
4. 1518 ‘The lordship of Mayrehit … Balnepairk 25 acres’ Kildare Rental, 1549 ‘Ballynepark’ CarrMS, 1612 ‘Ballyneparky’ Inq., 1841 Ballynapark SO < Baile na Páirce “the town of the park”.
5. 1549 ‘Downeballefein’ CarrMS, 1549 ‘Ballefein’ CarrMS, 1841 Doon Fort SO < An Dún “the fort” < Dún Bhaile Fhinn (??) “the fort of Baile Fionn”.
6. Fooraun Well SO < An Fuarán “the spring”.
7. Erthoughone Well SO < * Tobar Fheartacha Eoin (??) “the well of the miracles of Eoin” (Eoin Baiste, b’fhéidir; cf. 1638c ‘capella S. Joannis Baptistæ de Imo’ lastuaidh).
8. 1549 ‘Cuniclare’ CarrMS, 1549 ‘ad Warrenium sive Cuniclare’ CarrMS, Rabbit Hill SO < An Coinicéar “the rabbit warren”.
9. Lough Keeragh SO < Loch Caorach “lake of sheep”
10. Lough Moore SO < Loch Mhóra (?) “the lake of Móra”
11. Rathnalulagh (site of) SO < Ráth na Loilíoch (?) “the ring-fort of the milch cows”.
12. Toberkine SO < Tobar Cinn (?) “well of (the) head, headache cure”. Ní léir ar cheart /kiːn/ nó /keɪn/ a léamh ar an litriú béarlaithe seo. Ní bheifí ag súil le /keɪn/ mar réadú ar cinn sa cheantar seo.
13. The Togher SO < An Tóchar “the causeway” (cf. bf Baile an Tóchair (#28478) i bparóiste Lé).
14. Luggatunna Wood SO < Log an tSionnaigh (?) “the hollow of the fox” (féach gur seannach an fuaimniú a bhí ar an bhfocal seo i ndeisceart an chontae (#27767, #28705)).

Ainmneacha stairiúla:

1. 1568 ‘Balleclo’ F, 1570 ‘Balleclow’ Inq., 1603 ‘Balliclowe’ CPR 8, 1608 ‘Balliclowe’ CPR 444, 1610 ‘Ballyclowe’ CPR 157, 1612 ‘Ballynecloe’ Inq. < Baile (na) Cloiche “the town of the stone (structure).
2. 1568 ‘Gragrowahan’ F, 1570 ‘Graigrowahan’ Inq., 1603 ‘Gorgrowhan or Gragrowahan’ CPR 8, 1603 ‘the villages of Gorgrowhan or Gragrowahan, Balliclowe, and Shanganagh’ CPR 8, 1608 ‘Gragrowhan otherwise Gorgrowhan’, 1610 ‘Gragowhan otherwise Graigrowhane’ CPR 157, 1612 ‘Gragevaghan’ < Gráig Ruacháin “hamlet of (the) reddish earth” (cf. bf Ráithín Ruacháin (#28303) i bPort Laoise Thoir).
3. 1570 ‘Shaneganaghe’ Inq., 1603 ‘Shanganagh’ CPR 8, 1610 ‘Shanganagh’ CPR 157, 1612 ‘Shanganaghmore’ Inq. < An Seangánach “the place of ants”. Cf. bf Seangánach (#28149) i mBaile Adaim.
4. 1549 ‘Aghekilleffynnen’, ‘Aghekillefinne’ CarrMS < Áth Cille Finnigh “the ford of Cill Fhinnigh”; 1549 Glaishekilleffyne < Glaise Chille Finnigh “the stream of Cill Fhinnigh” (cf. bf, par Cill Fhinnigh (#28506) ó dheas).
5. 1619 ‘Ballymonin otherwise Ballynmonin’ CPR 427, ‘Ballymonin or Ballinmonin’ CPR 446 < Baile an Mhóinín “the town of the little bogland”.