Remember all the quiz games you used to play as a kid, like 'Name the longest river in the world ?' and 'What's the capital city of Mongolia ?' Well, a unique variant on this game has long been used by Irish parents to keep their kids amused during long car journeys - 'Guess the meaning of Irish placenames'.
You may be aware that every town and village in Ireland has two names - an Irish version and an English version. In general, the English name is a corrupted rendering of the original Irish. For example, the word 'Baile' [meaning 'town'] usually appears as 'Bally' in English. It seems that when the placenames of Ireland were first committed to English, the rule was to transcribe the names as they were spoken, but using English phonetics. While the names do appear unusual, deciphering the original meanings can be quite straightforward where you have a basic grasp of the Irish language.
'Carrickfinn' = 'Carraig Fhionn', meaning 'white rock [carraig]'
'Killarney' = 'Cill Airne', meaning 'church [cill] of the sloes'
'Donegal' = 'Dún na nGall', meaning ' fort [dún] of the foreigners'
However, not every placename was altered in such a simple way. Other names were changed in such a complicated manner that arriving at the original meanings can be very difficult indeed. A favourite example is that of 'Roundstone' - 'Cloch na Rón' meaning 'stone of the seals'. When the English name for this town was being chosen, it was decided to directly translate the word 'cloch' to 'stone', while on the other hand assimilating the name 'rón' as 'round', for no other reason than that it sounded similar. Thus 'stone of the seals' became 'round stone'.
The meanings of placenames that have been used in the text of this site are attached
Placename in English Placename in Irish Meaning
Provinces
Connaught Connacht
The 'place of the Connachta tribe'.
Leinster Laighean
The 'place of the Lagin tribe'.
The ster found at the end of the province names originates from the Norse genitive (posessive) form, combined with tír, the Irish for land.
Munster Mumhan
The 'place of the Mumu tribe'.
Ulster Uladh
The 'place of the Ulaidh tribe'.
Towns, Cities and Localities
Aran Island Oileáin Árainn
The word Arainn comes from the Irish word meaning 'kidney' or 'loin', and in this case denotes an 'arched back' or 'ridge'.
Athlone Baile Átha Luain
The 'town of the ford of Luan'.
Belfast Béal Feirste
The 'ford of the farset', or 'sandbank' (used to cross the River Lagan).
Bloody Foreland Cnoc Fola The 'hill of blood'.
Newgrange Brú na Boinne
The 'fairy mound of the palace'.
Carrickfinn Carraig Fhionn
The 'white rock'.
Charlestown Baile Chathail
The 'town of Charles', named after its founder, Charles Dillon.
Connemara Conamara
Abbreviation of Conmacne-mara, representing the 'land of Conmacne by the sea'.
Cork Corcaigh
'A marsh'.
Derry Doire
An 'oak grove' or 'wood'.
Dingle An Daingean
A 'fortress'.
Donegal Dún na nGall /
Tír Chonaill
The 'fortress of the foreigners'. The county is also known as Tír Chonaill, meaning 'the land of Conall', son of Niall of the nine hostages.
Dublin Baile Átha Cliath /
Duibh-Linn
The 'town of the hurdle of the ford'. The English version of the name comes from the ancient name of the city Duibh-Linn, the 'black pool'.
Dungloe An Clochán Liath
'The grey stepping stones'.
Farranfore An Fearann Fuar
'The cold land'.
Galway Gaillimh
The 'stony river'.
Glendalough Gleann Dá Loch
The 'valley of two lakes'.
Gortahork Gort an Choirce The 'field of the oats'.
Kerry Ciarraí
Denotes the 'land of the descendants of Ciar', son of Queen Maev of Connaught.
Killarney Cill Airne
The 'church of the sloes'.
Knock An Cnoc
'The Hill'.
Larne Latharna
Denotes the 'district of Lathair', son of Hugony the Great, monarch of Ireland.
Limerick Luimneach
Signifies a 'bare spot of land'.
Mallow Mala
The 'plain of the river Allo'.
Mayo Maigh Eo
The 'plain of the yews'.
Shannon An tSionainn
'The old/ancient one' (probably denoting an ancient river god personified by the river).
Sligo Sligeach
Meaning 'a shelly river'.
Tralee Trá Lí
The 'strand of the Lee' (a river).
Waterford Port Láirge
The 'bank of the haunch.