Our Anglicised Placenames
1. Tuosist – Tuath Ó Siosta
Tuath originally meant “people†but with the custom of naming territory after its inhabitants it ultimately came to mean district. So Tuosist or Tuath Siosta means Ó Siosta’s district.
2. Duagh – Dubh Ãth
Ãth = ford, Dubh = black, so The Black Ford
3. Glenbeigh – Gleann Beithe
Gleann = glen. Beithe = genitive of “beith†a birch tree.
4. Caherciveen – Cathair Saibhin
Cathair = circular stone fort
Saidhbhín = a woman’s name
Saidhbhín is a diminutive of Sadhbh which was a very common name at one time. John B. Keane used it as a name for one of his famous plays, Sive.
5. Ardfert – Ãrd Fhearta
Ãrd = height, Fhearta = generative of Feart, a grave. Ãrd Fhearta = height of the grave. St. Brendan the Navigator founded a monastery here and a beautiful ancient church still remains. St. Brendan was born in 484 A.D. near Tralee.
6. Ballybunion – Baile an Bhunánaigh
Baile = town. Bhunánaigh = Bunion Baile an Bhunánaigh = Bunions Town
7. Tarbert – Tairbeirt
Tairbeirt = a narrow strip of land joining larger land masses along the Shannon.
8. Asdee – Easduibhe
Eas = a cataract, duibhe is a genitive of dubh (black). Easduibhe = the Black Cataracta. In 1146 a castle was erected here named Caisleán – easa – duibhe and the latter part has been retained as the name of the little hamlet along the Shannon.
9. Moyvane – Mágh Bhán
Mágh = a plain, Bán = white, so The White Plain.
10. Abbeydorney – Mainistir Ó dTórna
Mainistir = abbey, Ó dTórna = Torney, so The Abbey of Torney. Torney was a fairly common name in former years and was written ÓTórna. They derived their name from the celebrated 4th century poet Tórna Éigeas. They inhabited the district in North Kerry which still retains the name Abbeydorney.
11. Annascaul – Abhainn an Scáil
Abhainn = river, Scaul = hero, so Annascaul = the river of the hero. The river flows from Loughascaul (Lake of the hero).
12. Rathmore – An Ráth Mhór
Ráth = fort, Mór = big, so The Big Fort
13. Killarney – Cill Ãirne
Cill = small church, áime = sloes, so Church of the sloes.
14. Ventry – Fionn Trá
Ventry was originally written Fintrá which gives us a clearer picture. Fin = fionn (white) trá/tráigh = a strand. There is a beautiful white strand here, hence the name Fionntrá = beautiful white strand. The book Cath Fionntrá tells the Osianic story of Fionn and the Fianna defending Ireland against Dáire Donn, King of the World who invaded Ireland. The battle lasted for a year and a day and of course the Fianna were victorious.
15. Gallarua – Galliorrus
Gall = rock, lorrus = tall or high land or stone over water. Therefore, Gallarus means a tall rock over water. The rock is still there but lake (Loch Gallarus) has been drained away. Gallarus Oratory dating from early Christian times is a world famous building of dry stone. Gradually tapering to a single stone at the top. It has stood the test of time and climate and is still totally intact as it was built.
16. Castleisland – Oileán Chiarrai
Oileán = island. There are the remains of a Desmond castle near an island in the Shanowen (sean abhainn) river. The word castle was later substituted in the Irish version with Ciarraí. Hence the present Irish name Oileán Chiarraí.
17. Mount Brandon – Cnoc Bréanainn
Cnoc = mountain, Bréanainn = St. Brendan. Bréanainn is the correct name for Brendan in Irish. Breanndán comes from Latin Brendanus – a bit of educational snobbery I suppose. By the way, Bréanainn means a princely person.
18. By the way, in West Cork there is a mountain named Cnoc na
gCore Mhíola, the Mountain of Midges. Míol= an insect, louse or animal, core mhíola = insects that annoy and certainly midges do!
19. Slieve Mish – Sliabh Mis
Sliabh – mountain, Mis = a woman’s name, famous in Irish mythology. When the Milesians invaded Ireland long ago, they landed in inbhear Scéine (KenmareHarbour) and marched northward and were attacked at Slieve Mis by the Dé Dannans. The Battle of Slieve Mis resulted and the Milesian Queen Scotia was killed. The glen is called Scothia’s Glen; Gleann Scoithín, and her grave can still be seen.
20. Knockanure – Cnoc an lúbhair
Cnoc = hill/mountain, lúbhair = yew tree
The Hill of the Yew tree. This area is well known from Bryan McMahon’s lovely ballad. The Valley of Knockanure, commemorating the atrocity, when four local freedom fighters were shot dead there by British soldiers during the War of Independence.
21. Tralee – Tráilghlí
Tráigh = a strand or beach, Lí = a little river flowing beside the town. The tráigh part of the name seems of dubious origin as no strand or beach was ever near the town.
I personally have heard old inhabitants years ago calling the town Toralí, (spelling matches how it is pronounced). In the Annals of Connaught and also in Life of St. Brendan, the town is called Tráilghlí Mhic Dedad, i.e. the strand of Lí, son of Dedad. Father Ferris R.I.P. a well known expert on place names, also called the town Toraluí
22. Killorglin – Cill Orglin
Cill = a small church, Orglin = Orglan, a local saint, so Orglan’s church.
Ciar = a personal name, raidhe = race or followers. Ciar was son of Queen Maeve of Connaught who settled with followers in the territory between Tralee and the Shannon. They became known as the Ciarraidhe or the race of Ciar. The name is now abbreviated to Ciarraí. We therefore lose the important word “raidheâ€.
24. The Paps Mountains – Dhá Chích Dhanann
Dhá = two, chích = breast, Danann = genitive of Danú. Danú was a mythological goddess of the De Dannan already mentioned in the Battle of Slieve Mish. So the Paps Mountains represent the two breasts of Danú.
