Toponymy Gaelic

The majority of the place names in Ireland have a derivation Gaelic whose significance remains transparent in the Irish language modern. Ros Láir, for example (Rosslare in English), means “headland of the medium”, Sean Chill (English Shankill) wants to say “old church”. The english language version keeps the phonetic form (more or less deformed) of the toponym without retaining the direction of them.

Sometimes the names of the same place are distinct in the two languages although having both from the gaelic roots. It is the case for the capital of Ireland: in Irish Baille Átha Cliath, meaning the “city with the ford of trays”; in English Dublin, coming from Gaelic dubh flax , i.e. the “hole (of water) black”. The Irish name refers to the crossing of the river at this place, the English name rather recalls the port of to side.

Finally there exists a rather restricted number of toponyms imposed by the occupants, Vikings (for example, Wexford - of Veigsfjordr, “the handle with the beach of vase”) or English (Westport). In such cases, the Irish language retained the names of origin: here, Garman Log and Cathair Na Mart.

To note that the road signs are officially bilingual in Irish Republic (although in the facts it is there generally only in English), and that it is only in English in Northern Ireland.

Etymology

Frequent roots in toponymy:

Ard- ard - 'high '
Ath- átha - 'ford '
Bally- bucket - 'city '
Round of applause/Ben beann - 'top '
Beautiful béal - 'stops '
Burren- boireann - 'rock place '
Curry/Carrick- carraig - 'rock '
Cashel- caiseal - 'extremely of circular stone '
Clon- cluain - 'pasture '
Cnock/Knock- cnoc - 'hill '
Derry- doire - 'Oak grove '
Dub/Duff- dubh - 'black '
Dun- dún - 'extremely '
Knell knell - 'green '
Glen- gleann - 'valley '
Ennis- inis - 'island '
End fionn - 'white '
Inver- inbhear - 'estuary '
Kil- lash - 'church '
Lough- log - 'lake '
More- mór - 'large '
Rath- rath - 'extremely '
Slieve- sliabh - 'mountain '

Name of provinces

Four Provinces of Ireland ( cúigí - singular: cúige ):

  • Connacht - Connacht (a)/Cúige Chonnacht - direction “Country of Idiot”

  • Munster - Year Mhumhain/Cúige Mumhan - direction “country of Mumha”
  • Leinster - Laighin/Cúige Laighean - direction “country of the large lances”
  • Ulster - Ulaidh/Cúige Uladh - direction “country of Ulaid”

The word cúige indicates a fifth, like a fifth of Ireland, since Meath, seat of the king, was regarded as a province (including the counties of Meath, Westmeath and of the joint areas. Meath was annexed to Leinster).

Name of counties

The 32 Counties of Ireland ( contaetha - singular: contae ):

  • County Antrim - Aontroim/Co. Aontroma - direction “Closes solitary”

  • Comté Armagh - Ard Mhacha/Co. Ard Mhacha - High directions “of Chewed”
  • Comté Carlow - Ceatharlach/Co. Cheatharlaigh - direction “Four Lakes”
  • County Cavan - Year Cabhán/Co. year Chabháin - direction “the hollow”
  • County of Clare - Year Clár/Co. year Chláir - direction “ground planes”
  • Comté of Cork - Corcaigh/Co. Chorcaí - direction “Marsh”
  • County of Derry - Doire/Co. Dhoire - direction “oak grove”
  • County of Donegal - Dún Na nGall/Co. Dhún Na nGall - Strong direction “from abroad”
  • County of Down - Year Dún/Co. year Dúin - direction “the Fort”
  • County of Dublin - Áth Cliath/Co. Átha Cliath - direction “city of the ford”
  • County of Fermanagh - Fear Manach/Co. Fhear Manach - direction “Monachéens”
  • County of Galway - Gaillimh/Co. Na Gaillimhe - according to Gailleamh
  • County of Kerry - Ciarraí/Co. Chiarraí - according to Ciar
  • County of Kildare - Dara Lash/Co. Chill Dara - direction “church with the oak”
  • County of Kilkenny - Chainnigh Lash/Co. Chill Chainnigh - direction “church of Canice”
  • County of Laois - Laois/Co. Laoise - direction “church”
  • County of Leitrim - Liatroim/Co. Liatroma - direction “gray mounts”
  • County of Limerick - Luimneach/Co. Luimnigh - direction “the desert”
  • County of Longford - Longfort/Co. Longfoirt - direction “Fortress”
  • County of Louth - Lú/Co. Lú - “Tiny” direction
  • County of Mayo - Maigh Eo/Co. Mhaigh Eo - direction “Plain of the yews”
  • County of Meath - Year Mhí/Co. Na Mí - direction “Medium”
  • County of Monaghan - Muineachán/Co. Mhuineacháin - direction “halliers”
  • County of Offaly - Uibh Fhailí/Co. Uibh Fhailí - Downward directions “of Ros of the rings”
  • County of Roscommon - Ros Comáin/Co. Ros Comáin - direction “wood of Corman”
  • County of Sligo - Sligeach/Co. Shligigh - direction “river with the shells”
  • County of Tipperary - Tiobraid Árainn/Co. Thiobraid Árainn - direction “with the well of Macaw”
  • County of Tyrone - Tír Eoghain/Co. Thír Eoghain - direction “at Eoghan”
  • County of Waterford - Láirge Port/Co. Phort Láirge - “Waterford” comes from the Viking Vadre fjord
  • Comté of Westmeath - Year Iarmhí/Co. Na hIarmhí - share Western of the old man Meath
  • County of Wexford - Garman Log/Co. Garman log - “Wexford” comes from the Viking Weiss fjord meaning “white fjord”
  • Comté of Wicklow - Mhantáin Lash/Co. Chill Mhantáin - meaning “church of Mantan”

Names of cities

See the article Towns of Ireland, with for each one its name in English and his name in Gaelic.

Street names

  • Bóthar Na Seanchille - Shankill Road -

  • Bóthar Na bhFál - Falls Road -
  • Sráid Úi Chonaill - O' Connell Street -
  • Sráid year Capaill Buí - Large Parades (Cork) -
  • Sráid Páidraig - Patrick Street -

Country of the world

External bonds

List Irish toponyms Toponymy explained by P.W. Joyce

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