Featured themes
A selection of common themes in Irish placenames. These short, informative pieces are published on an ongoing basis.
Gort an Choirce “the field of the oats”
Date: 11/09/2023
Continuing on the theme of harvest in the month of September, or Meán Fómhair in Irish, literally “the middle of harvest(-time)”, one of the best known placenames referring to coirce “oats” is surely Gort an Choirce “the field of oats”, where so many spent time in the Donegal Gaeltacht during their youth (see logainm.ie: #14446). Exactly the same name is behind anglicised Gortahork and Gortacorka in Leitrim as well as translated Oatfield in Clare. Aghincurk/Achadh an Choirce in Antrim also means “the field of the oats”. Oatfield in Galway is a mistranslation of Corr an Choirce “the round hill of the oats”, which also happens to be the original Irish form of Corrycorka in Longford. Both Knockhurka in Sligo and Knockaquirk in Wicklow are from Cnoc an Choirce “the hill of the oats”, while Taobh an Choirce/Tiveachorky “the hillside of the oats” in Donegal also refers to the frequent cultivation of oats on elevated ground as, apparently, does Tomacork/Tom an Choirce “the bush, hillock of the oats” in Wicklow. However, this is not always the case, as we also have Inchincurka/Inse an Choirce “the holm of the oats” in Cork. In Wicklow we have Coolacork/Cúil an Choirce “the nook, recess of the oats”, and there is also Tirchorka/Tír an Choirce “the land of the oats” in Meath.
Corrán na Cruithneachta/Whitewell “the round hill of the wheat”
Date: 04/09/2023
As we enter the month of September, or Meán Fómhair in Irish, literally “the middle of harvest(-time)”, it’s interesting to note that there are much fewer townland names in Ireland which contain cruithneacht “wheat”, than those containing coirce “oats”, eorna “barley” or seagal “rye”. This clearly implies that the other varieties of grain were more important than cruithneacht/wheat in the native Irish diet.
One placename containing a reference to cruithneacht/wheat is Córrán na Cruithneachta “the rounded-hill, edge, projecting point of the wheat” near Camolin in County Wexford, although it is hidden behind the unrelated English name Whitewell which refers to a ‘holy well’ located in this townland (see logainm.ie #52805). One of the other townland names referring to cruithneacht/wheat is Tullanacrunat/Tulaigh na Cruithneachta “the hillock of the wheat” in Monaghan, and elsewhere in Ulster we find Tullycreenaght/Tulaigh Chruithneachta “(the) mound of wheat” as well as Wheathill/Gort na Cruithneachta “the field of the wheat” (see logainm.ie: #63034; #59256). The English name Wheathill in Fermanagh is a partial translation of Gort na Cruithneachta “the field of the wheat” (see here. It is quite noticeable that most townland names containing cruithneacht/wheat refer to elevated locations, which may come from the need for wheat to be grown better drained and airy locations.
Áit Tí na Scoile/Attinaskollia “the place of the schoolhouse”
Date: 28/08/2023
With the end of the Summer holidays approaching it is interesting to note the townland names Attinaskollia/Áit Tí na Scoile “the place of the house of the school, of the schoolhouse” in Mayo and Tinnascolly/Tigh na Scoile “the house of the school, of the schoolhouse” in Kilkenny. Notably, no schoolhouse is recorded in either of these townlands, and the placenames themselves are the only evidence for such a feature. It is frequently the case that placenames are the only evidence for physical or manmade features that have been otherwise erased from the landscape. In the case of Áit Tí na Scoile and Tigh na Scoile the earliest evidence dates from 1617 and 1567, respectively, so these schools certainly long predated the National School system introduced by the British government in the 1830s. More information here and here.
Lú/Louth
Date: 21/08/2023
The Old Irish word Lugnasad is explained as the Festival of Lug, Lammas, first of August in the Dictionary of the Irish Language (dil.ie), and it is from this Lugnadad that Modern Irish Mí Lúnasa the month of August; the month of the festival of Lugh is derived. As one of the principal figures of native Irish mythology it might be expected that his name, Lugh, would figure frequently in Irish townland and other placenames in Ireland, but this is evidently not the case. However, one very well-known placename containing his name is Louth/Lú. The underlying early Irish form of Lú is Lughmhadh (gen. Lughmhaidh), a compound of Lugh + madh, the final element of which is unclear in meaning. It is clear, however, that it was pronounced as Lú from the eighteenth century at least, whence the standard Irish form of the name today. It has often been opined that it is from a compound of Lugh + maigh plain, but the overall evidence for this placename militates against such an interpretation.