the island of —
The origin of the qualifying element of this placename is uncertain. The majority of the historical evidence does not agree with the two Irish spellings from the 17th century printed in Topographical Fragments, i.e. ‘Inis Mac Raa’ and ‘Inis Mic an Ratha’.

It is interesting to note that ‘McEnaw’ (< **Mac Conshnámha**) was listed among the principal Irish surnames of the neighbouring barony of Rosclogher in the *Census* (1659). It is not impossible that a development such as **Mac Conshnámha** > **Mac C’námha** > **Mac Crámha** > **Mac Crá** lies behind anglicised forms such as 1585 ‘Inish mc Ra’, etc. However, as none of the historical forms of the placename indicate the original form of that surname, the recommended official version contains a phonetic approximation.