GA EN téarma.ie ainm.ie dúchas.ie gaois.ie
Placenames Database of Ireland Meitheal Logainm
Search Browse Glossary Resources About
Gaeilge English
Featured themes 01/07/2024

Townland of the elder-tree, elder flowers, piping and lemonade.
Trim/Baile Átha Troim “town of (at) the ford of the elder-tree”
(see logainm.ie #1416699)

Date: 01/07/2024

As we enter into the month of July we will have largely bid farewell to the wonderful early summer flowers of the sceach/hawthorn as mentioned in a previous note, but we can still enjoy the common sight of the elder-tree’s creamy-white flower in the hedgerows and thickets of the countryside. Indeed, even after the gradual disappearance of the elder-flower during the course of the July we will still be reminded of that tree’s presence in the countryside by a number of Irish townland names such as Ballintrim/Baile an Troim “the town(land) of the elder-tree” (logainm.ie #12421) and Cloontreem/Cluain Troim “pasture of (at) the elder-tree” (logainm.ie #8790) in Co. Cork. However, it is noteworthy that trom “elder-tree” is not nearly as common as sceach “hawthorn” in townland names, although the distribution of townland names which contain a reference to the elder-tree (trom) at least indicates that it was also widespread in the countryside.

Possibly the best-known placename referring to the elder-tree is Trim/Baile Átha Troim in County Meath (logainm.ie #1416699). This place was originally called Áth Troim “ford of (at) the elder-tree”, and only much more recently was the element baile “town” added to the name in reference to the town which emerged around the Anglo-Norman castle there. Some other townland names that contain a reference to trom “elder-tree” bring us from Macantrim/Machaire an Troim “the plain of the elder-tree” in County Armagh (logainm.ie #56304) to Listrim/Lios Troim “ring-fort of the elder-tree” in County Kerry (logainm.ie #243633), to the two distinct townlands called Caheratrim/Cathair an Troim “the circular stone fort of the elder-tree” in County Galway (logainm.ie #19558; #19587) and then to Boolnadrum/Buaile na dTrom “the boley of the elder-trees” in County Wexford. Other counties give us Cooltrim/Cluain Troim “pasture of (at) the elder-tree” in County Monaghan (logainm.ie #39792); Tintrim/Tigh an Troim “the house of (at) the elder-tree” (logainm.ie #7682) in County Clare; Gortvunatrime/Gort Mhóin an Troim “the field of the bog of the elder-tree” (logainm.ie #48793) in County Tipperary; Anatrim/Eanach Troim “marsh of the alder-tree” (logainm.ie #28438) in County Laois; and Illanatrim/Oileán an troim “island of the elder-tree” (logainm.ie #35157) in County Mayo.
The economic value of the elder-tree seems to have been quite low in the pre-Norman era.. Trom “elder-tree” was categorized among the ‘Fodla Fedo’ [Mod. Ir. fodhla feá], literally “subclass of the woods” (see dil.ie s.v. fodail), which was the third of four categories outlined in the early law-text called Bretha Comaithchesa (see Fergus Kelly, Early Irish Farming, p. 380; see Early Irish Farming). Indeed, the elder-tree also had a certain infamy: one of the old Irish Triads states ‘Trí comartha láthraig mallachtan: tromm, tradna, nenaid’ [Mod.Ir. Trí chomhartha láthair mhallachta: trom, traonach, neantóg] “three signs of a cursed site: an elder-tree, a corncrake, a nettle” (see Nicholas Williams, Díolaim Luibheanna (1993) lch. 171). (The original triad is printed in Kuno Meyer, The triads of Ireland (1906) p. 18 §129, where it appears in opposition to the three signs of a blessed site: ‘clocc, salm, senad’ [Mod.Ir. clog, salm, seanadh] “a bell, a salm, a synod, assembly” ibid. §128.) It is notable that bagpipe reeds were formerly made from elder, and some pipers still use that material, although most now employ imported cane — and indeed, it is because of its suitability as a material for making tubes that the elder-tree received the English name bore-tree, i.e., ‘tube/pipe-tree’. On a culinary front, the elder-flower is quite edible, and can be deep-fried in batter, or it makes the most delicious lemonade and cordial (see Pamela Foley & Cecilia Fitzsimons,Biaphlandaí, p. 83).

(Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich & Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill)