- G
- Galbally,
Gallavally, Galvally, Galwally; English town; Gall
here means an Englishman.
- Galboley,
Galboola, Galbooley, Galwolie; a booley
or dairy place belonging to Galls
or English people.
- Gallagh;
a place full of rocks or standing stones.
- Gallan,
Gallane; Gallan, a standing stone.
- Gallen.
The descendants of Cormac Gaileng,
great grandson of Olioll Olum
(see Connello), were called Gailenga
(O’Dugan), the race of Gaileng,
and they gave name to the barony of Gallen in Mayo.
- Gallon
is used in Cavan to signify a measure of land.
- Gallow;
another form of Gallagh, which see.
- Gardrum,
Gargrim; Gearr-dhruirn, short
ridge or hill; d changed to g in Gargrim.
- Garnavilla
in Tipperary;
Garran-a’-bhile [Garranavilla],
the shrubbery of the bilě
or old tree.
- Garracloon;
Garbh-chluain, rough meadow.
- Garran,
Garrane, Garraun; Garrán, a shrubbery.
- Garranamnanagh;
the shrubbery of the monks (rnanach).
- Garranbane,
Garranbaun; white shrubbery.
- Garranekinnefeake;
Kinnefeake’s shrubbery.
- Garry;
a garden (garrdha).
- Garryard;
high garden.
- Garrycastle.
The Mac Coghlans’ castle, near Banagher in King’s County, is called in the
annals Garrdha-anchaislein
[Garrancashlane], the garden of the castle; and from this the modern name
Garrycastle has been formed, and extended to the barony.
- Garryduff;
black garden (dubh).
- Garrymore;
great garden.
- Garryowen
near Limerick;
Owen’s garden.
- Garrysallagh;
dirty garden (salach).
- Garryspellane;
Spellane’s garden.
- Gartan;
a little garden.
- Garvagh;
Garbhach, rough land (from garbh,
rough).
- Garvaghy;
rough achadh or field.
- Garvary;
Garbhaire, rough land.
- Gay
island in Fermanagh; goose island (gedh).
- Geara,
Gearagh, Gairha; Gaertha [gairha]
a bushy place along a river.
- Gearhameen
river at Killarney; mín
smooth, small; a gearha composed
of small delicate bushes.
- Giants’
Causeway.
Irish name Clochán-na-bhFomharaigh
[Clohanavowry], the cloghan or
stepping stones of the Fomorians. These sea rovers were magnified into giants
in popular legend, and the name came to be translated ‘‘
Giants’ Causeway.”
- Girley
in Meath; Creallaeh [Greallagh],
a miry place.
- Glack;
Glaic, a hollow.
- Glanbehy;
birchy glen (beith).
- Glantane,
Glantaun; little glen.
- Glanworth
in Cork;
recently corrupted from its Irish name, Gleann-amhnach
[Glenounagh], as it is written in the Book of Rights, the watery or marshy
glen.
- Glascloon;
green cloon or meadow.
- Glasdrummon,
Glasdrummond; green ridge.
- Glashaboy,
Glashawee; yellow streamlet (glaise
and buidhe).
- Glasheen;
a little stream.
- Glasmullagh;
green mullach or summit.
- Glasnevin
near Dublin;
takes name from a streamlet flowing through Delville into the Tolka at the
bridge. In remote ages some pagan chief named Naeidhe
[Nee], must have resided on its banks; from him it was called Glas-Naeidhen
[Neean], F.M., Naeidhe’s streamlet; and the name extended to the village,
while its original application is quite forgotten.
- Glassan;
a green place.
- Glasthule;
Glas-Tuathail [thoohil], Tuathal’s
or Toole’s streamlet.
- Glenagarey;
Gleann-na-gcaerach [Glenagaira],
the glen of the sheep (caera).
- Glenanair;
the glen of slaughter (ár).
- Glenavy
in Antrim.
The G is a modern addition. The Irish name, as given in the Calendar, is
Lann-Abhaich [Lanavy], the church
of the dwarf. When St. Patrick had built the church there, he left it in
charge of his disciple David, who, from his low stature, was called Abhac
[avak or ouk], i.e. dwarf.
- Glen
bane, Glenbaun; white glen.
- Glencar
on the borders of Leitrim and Sligo;
Gleann-a’-chairthe [Glenacarha],
the glen of the pillar stone (cairthe).
- Glencullen,
Glencullin; holly glen (cuillionn).
- Glendine,
Glandine; deep glen (doimhin).
- Glendowan
mountains in Donegal; same as Glendine.
- Glenduff;
black glen (dubh).
- Glengarriff;
rough or rugged glen (garbh).
- Gleninaght;
ivy glen.
- Glenkeen;
beautiful glen.
- Glenmore;
great glen.
- Glennamaddy;
the valley of the dogs (madadh).
- Glenogra
in Limerick;
Ogra’s glen.
- Glenosheen
in Limerick;
Oisin’s or Osheen’s glen.
- Glenquin,
barony of, in Limerick
should have been called Glenquim, for the Irish is Gleann-a’-chuim,
the glen of the cum
or hollow.
- Glenreagh,
Glenrevagh; grey glen.
- Glenroe;
red glen (ruadh).
- Glentane,
Glentaun; little glen.
- Glenties
in Donegal; Gleanntaidhe [glenty],
glens; from two fine glens at the head of which it stands.
- Glenwhirry
in Antrim; Gleann-a’-choire [Glenacurry:
change of ch to wh),
the glen of the river Curry or Coirě. Coirě means a caldron, and
the river got this name from a deep pool formed under a cataract.
- Glynn;
a glen or valley.
- Gneeve,
Gneeves; Gniomh [gneeve] a measure
of land.
- Gola;
forks; the plural of gabhal [gaul].
- Golan;
a little goul or fork.
- Golden
in Tipperary;
Gabhailin [Gouleen], a little
fork: the Suir divides there for a short distance, forming a fork.
- Gort;
Gort, a tilled field.
- Gortahork,
Gortahurk; the field of the oats (coirce).
- Gortalassa;
the field of the lis or fort.
- Gortanure,
Gortinure; the field of the yew.
- Gortavoher;
the field of the boher or road.
- Gortboy;
yellow field (buidhe).
- Gortbrack;
speckled field (breac).
- Gorteen;
little field.
- Gortfad,
Gortfadda; long field.
- Gortgranagh;
grain field.
- Gortin;
little field; same as Gorteen.
- Gortmore;
great field.
- Gortnaglogh;
Gort-na-gcloch, the field of
the stones.
- Gortnagross;
Gort-na-gcros, the field of the
crosses.
- Gortnahoo,
Gortnahoon; the field of the cave (uaimh).
- Gortnamona;
the field of the bog (moin).
- Gortnamucklagh;
the field of the piggeries.
See Mucklagh.
- Gortnasillagh
the field of the sallows.
- Gortnaskea,
Gortnaskeagh, Gortnaskeha, Gortnaskey; the field of the sceachs
or whitethorn bushes.
- Gortreagh;
grey field (riabhach).
- Gortroe;
red field (ruadh).
- Gougane
Barra in Cork;
St. Finbar’s rock-cleft.
- Goul,
Gowel; Gabhal, a fork.
- Gowlan,
Gowlane, Gowlaun; little fork.
- Graffa,
Graffin, Graffoge, Graffy; grubbed land, or land rooted up by a grafaun
or grubbing axe.
- Graigue;
a village.
- Graiguenamanagh;
the village of the monks.
- Grallagh;
Greallach [Grallagh], a miry
place.
- Granagh,
Granaghan; a place producing grain.
- Grangegeeth;
windy grange (gaeth).
- Gransha;
a grange, a place for grain.
- Greagh;
a moory level spot among hills.
- Great
Connell; great congbhail or habitation
(see Conwal).
- Greenan,
Greenane, Greenaun, Grenan; Grianan,
a summer residence, a royal palace.
From grian,
the sun.
- Greenoge;
a sunny little spot.
From grian.
- Grillagh,
Grellagh; same as Grallagh.
- Gurteen;
little tilled field; same as Gorteen.
- Gurteenroe;
red little field.
- Guilcagh;
a place producing broom (giolcach,
broom).
- Gyleen
near Trabolgan in Cork;
little gobhal or fork.
-
- H
- Heagles
near Ballymoney; Eaglais, a church.
- Howth;
from the Danish Hoved, a head.
Old Irish name Ben Eadar, the peak
of Edar,
a legendary personage.
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- I
- Idrone,
baronies of, in Carlow.
So called from the tribe of Hy Drona (Book
of R.), the former occupants, who were named from their ancestor Drona,
fourth in descent from Cahirmore, monarch of Ireland
from A.D. 120 to 123.
- Illan,
Illane, Illaun; Oileán [oilaun],
an island.
- Imaile
in Wicklow; Hy Mail
(O’Dugan), the descendants of Mann Mal,
brother of Cahirmore.
See Idrone.
- Inch;
Inis, an island; a low meadow
along a river.
- Inchmore;
great island or river meadow.
- Inis,
Inish; an island.
- Inishannon
in Cork;
written in the Book of Leinster Inis-Eoganain [lnishowenan], Owenan’s
or little Owen’s island or river meadow.
- Inishargy
in Down; called in the Taxation of 1306, Inyscargi,
showing that the Irish form is Inis-carraige,
the island of the rock. The rising ground where the church stands was formerly
surrounded by marshes.
- Inishbofin;
the island of the white cow (bo):-
name explained by a legend.
- Inishkeen;
beautiful island.
- Inishkeeragh;
the island of sheep (caera).
- Inishlounaght
in Tipperary;
Inis-leamhnachta [lounaghta],
the island or river holm of the new milk probably because it was good grazing
land.
- Inishmaan,
Inishmean; middle island (meadhon).
- Inishmacsaint,
a parish in Fermanagh, taking its name from an island in Lough Erne, which
is called in the annals Inis-muighe-samh
[moy-sauv], the island of the plain of sorrel, from which the present name
has been formed by a corrupt pronunciation.
- Inishmore;
great island.
- Inishowen
in Donegal; the island
of Owen,
son of Niall of the Nine Hostages (king from 379 to 405).
See Tyrone.
- Inishrush;
the island of the peninsula (ros).
- Inishturk
in Mayo; Inis-tuirc, Hy F., the
boar’s island (torc).
Several islands of this name.
- Inishtioge
in Kilkenny; written in the Book of Leinster
Inis-Teoc, Teoc’s island.
- Innisfallen
in the lower Lake
of Killarney;
called in the Book of Leinster Inis-Faithlenn [Fablen], the island
of Faithlenn,
a man’s name.
- Inver;
Inbhear [inver], the mouth of
a river.
- Ireland’s
Eye.
Original name Inis-Ereann [Eran]
(the island of Eire
or Eria, a woman), of which the present name is an attempted translation.
Eye is the Danish ey,
an island; and the translators understanding Ereann
to mean Ireland,
rendered the name Ireland’s
Ey (or island) instead of Eria’s
Ey. (See
Origin and History of Irish Names of Places; pp. 76, 101, 104.)
- Isertkelly
in Galway;
corrupted (similarly to the next two names) from Diseart-Cheallaigh
[Disertkelly], F.M., Cellach’s
or Kelly’s hermitage.
- Isertkieran
in Tipperary;
the desert or hermitage of St.
Kieran of Ossory.
See Seirkieran.
- Ishartmon
in Wexford; the desert or hermitage
of St. Munna.
See Taghmon.
- Island
Magee; the island or peninsula of the Mac
Aedhas or Magees, its former possessors. Anciently called Rinn-Seimhne
[Rinn-sevne], the point of Seimhne,
the old territory in which it was situated.
- Iveleary
in Cork;
took its name from the O’Learys, its ancient proprietors. See next name.
- Iverk
in Kilkenny; Ui-Eirc [Ee-erc],
O’Dugan, a tribe name, signifying the descendants of Erc.
Ui [ee] or uibh
[iv], signifies descendants
- Iveruss
in Limerick;
the old tribe of Uibh-Rosa the
descendants of Rosa
.
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