Understanding Place Names in Ireland

[@Ben-Downlow.]

The play "Translations" by Brien Freil looks at the mauling of Irish place-names by the English tongue, and the role of this in (attemptedly) divorcing the Irish people from a living relationship with history and place.

[@ciarandoherty4618]

The novel Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay is loosely inspired by Translations and deals with an invading force that seeks to erase cultural history by erasing the place names.

[@batcollins3714]

Irish placenames when written in "english" are really pidgin English and phonetic versions of the Gaelic language and an insult to The Irish language

[@OzBeefer]

absolutely - this is key to understanding modern Irish names which is a terrible shame -- we should all be referring to them all "i nGaeilge"

[@mickcaldwell7215]

They are Irish. And bastardised by the english.

[@Michael-wp2bp]

Isn't it pidgin Irish? I mean they've come from the brits not being able to speak our language, not from us trying to speak theirs

[@isaacf.rosati6907]

Thanks Davy. I'm Italian and I'm so privileged to belong to a culture that never experienced the damage of colonisation to the extent Ireland did. Although the meaning of placenames in Italy is not always clear to me (because they come from old dialects or simply because you need to research a bit to get some background information) the link to the past is very clear and much more accessible to me in my language than for Irish people in their own that most can't understand. You in Ireland have to deal with the brutality of seeing most of your placenames being turned in meaningless sounds and the only way to get back to the source is to learn the language your ancestors spoke. It's really important for Ireland to recover his native language if Irish people want to understand their history and really understand themselves. And i say that with all possible empathy knowing well what you went through and how the loss of it was not a light-hearted business. But language is the foundation element of culture and in my humble opinion, without it moving forward Erin cannot fully recover from the tragedies of her past. Tá mé ag foghlaim Gaeilge, is breá liom é.

[@davyholden]

Love this. Thank you so much!

[@gwhite8250]

Thank you. It's great that you showed us, not just told us. 😊 💚

[@davyholden]

Thanks so much 😊

[@MrPenzaias]

Hey Davy. I am from Germany.I love Ireland, its history and native language so much! Because of that I enjoy your videos and all your informations a lot! Thank you so much for all your work! 👍 Next time I travel to Ireland I will see so many places in a different way

[@ddr.5959]

Davy should have giving you one of his love hearts. I'll give you one for all it's worth. I wish I could afford to go back home. I'm glad you can visit our beautiful island.♥

[@davyholden]

Thank you so much and I hope you make it back to Ireland soon!

[@NiSiochainGanSaoirse]

Come on home my friend. We miss yiz.

[@kingomar3202]

Well done young man, always find your clips interesting. 👏

[@davyholden]

Thank you!

[@GaryG1974]

Thanks Davy. That was a true joy to watch. Here are a few more: Dublin = Baile Átha Cliath (meaning "town of the hurdled ford") Cork = Corcaigh (meaning "marsh") Limerick = Luimneach (meaning "the flat area") Mayo = Maigh Eo (meaning "plain of the yew trees") Waterford = Port Láirge (meaning "Port of a Thigh") Wicklow = Cill Mhantáin (meaning "church of the toothless one")

[@mikehewitt8256]

Dublin is actually from the words dubh (black) and linn (pool) and is not actually the same physical location on the River Liffey. But in a twist Dublin is actually the Anglicized verision of the "Irishization" of the Viking name. From Visit Dublin website "The Vikings named the place where the Poddle and Liffey rivers meet as ‘Dyflin’, meaning ‘black pool’. Later, this took the Irish form of Dubh Linn." 😊

[@NiSiochainGanSaoirse]

Our history and language are so incredibly beautiful, it brings me to tears to think what out ancestors bore on heir shoulders to maintain our language, stories and teachings. We have so much to be so very proud of. As our near neighbours see their culture disintegrating at the hands of the same people who tried to disintegrate Ireland, and failed, but I don't revel in it. I actually feel for them. I live in England, and the people around me in Yorkshire are often Irish descendants themselves, and those who aren't Irish are still very fine people. I wouldn't live amongst them otherwise. Yorkshire folk are like us. Humble peasants who work the land, have little faith or trust in the establishment, and who love their animals. I see a lot of similarities between us and the Yorkshire fellas, and I love them immensely, but they're not us. Their country is falling apart, and it's quite nice to hear so many of them saying Ireland is where they want to go. We have Come full circle my friends.

[@I.MacGillivray]

It's a similar situation in Scotland. I find the original Gaelic place names to be really interesting. You're right, it's a window into the history and culture of the people who came before us. When rendered into an anglicised placename, the meaning is changed or ignored. But it is not lost entirely. In Scotland there is a distinct east west variation, where I notice elements of the pre gaelic language (Brythonic?) are preserved in some placenames in the north east. Great video.

[@davyholden]

Thanks so much. You can’t beat the original names. There’s so much meaning and history behind them.

[@DerekTJ]

Dub here - I love that the Six Counties and all its towns are Irish names (but anglicised). If anyone argues that the Six Counties are British now, ask why they have Irish names: Béal Feirste, Doire, Aontroim, Fir Manach, Ard Mhacha Tír Eoghain, etc.

[@sebe2255]

Tír Eoghain is partly British, but no one else would say that the rest of Ireland is

[@cailinanne]

This reminds me of visiting indigenous American ruins. All the names of buildings, areas, and towns we know for sure have meanings like this. Please do more of these videos! This was fascinating.

[@michaelfoley9904]

You might not agree with me , but you are a true Irish Patriot, through your information about Irish History, Language, Place Names etc, . It is very interesting, and if there is a fault in what you are doing , that would be your videos are way too short. So thank you for all your doing 👍. A few Quick questions, before Christianity came to Ireland, had townlands and places different names giving to them by pagans/ Druids,/ Non Christian people. And if so, what were they, and did Christianity change many of them ???

[@karenchristinewise7833]

I was born in the Black Pool and raised in a house on The Town of the Ford of the Hurdles. Holles St Maternity Hospital on the south side of Dublin and raised on the north side of Dublin. An Dubh Linn is the Black Pool = Dublin in English. Baile Átha Cliath is the Irish for Dublin which translates as The Town of the Ford of the Hurdles. 😊

[@paragvade]

Thanks for amazing information Davy. Britishers rather did same for many Indian cities as well just for the sake of ease of pronunciation. Example- Mumbai is derived from local deity called Mumba. And they named it Bombay which has no meaning. Thankfully, many of such cities are again known by their original names after governments passed laws to that effect.

[@imnathanspollen]

I'm from a place in English called Mulhuddart or Mullach Earad in Irish. Love the videos man

[@davyholden]

Thank you!

[@Jen999]

This one intrigues me.. especially in view of what is currently happening.. We got a Newsbreak alert that stated a young man was found in Belfast.. with a broken nose and both hands nailed to a fence.. he is expected to recover although he may have permanent nerve damage and limited use of his hands.. our hearts broke for him and his family.. Will it never end?! Always appreciate your presentations Davy.. they are excellent always💜💙☘️

[@Jen999]

Me neither.. was shocked.. and then concerned for him and his family.. as he may have permanent nerve damage to both hands💜💙☘️

[@user-qj6wj5kz3x]

O the poor man 🙏❤️🌹

[@Jen999]

@@user-qj6wj5kz3x cannot get this out of our mind.. so very sad.. hope he will be alright😭

[@sebdufutur6141]

I never went to Ireland and knows nothing about this country exept from your videos. So, please don't stop, this is interresting.

[@tomsdotter3228]

Thank you! I had no idea about the translations. I really need to learn the language.

[@keithpeterson5127]

When Canadians "from away" come to Newfoundl and Labrador they really don't know that the newfie accent is Irish. NL has the largest Irish culture outside of Ireland.

[@davyroberts6019]

Both my grandfather's were Celtic and my mother was from the south of Ireland ,could listen to your education about the land I so love...

[@susanjohnson2091]

Go raibh maith agat, Davy, for this video! I would love to see more! I'm learning Gaeilge now with Mollie and it's so much more wonderful to learn the Irish names. It's also a fabulous discovery when learning Irish to understand a place's Irish name. So beautiful too! Tá sé go hálainn!

[@davyholden]

Mollie is an absolute gem. I’m delighted you’re learning the language. Go raibh míle maith agat 😊

[@susanjohnson2091]

@@davyholden She's the absolute best! She's bringing to life this Newfoundlander's dream to reconnect with my ancestral roots through the beautiful language of Irish. Thanks to Mollie, is Gaeilgeoir mé agus tá athás orm!! Is teanga álainn í! Agus bualadh bos to you for these videos!! 💖 Is aoibhinn liom stair!

[@ffionpearl5893]

Love it! Thanks for another great post. Cornish is the same. Pretty much all the names in Cornwall are structured similarly: everyone here knows "Tre, Pol and Pen" and how they get mixed with the English additions. For Instance "Porth" is Cornish for a cove or entrance and there are many Cornish coastal towns or beaches that have Porth in the name. But often mixed with the English: ie "Porthchapel": A cove by a church. It's no coincidence that Cornwall is my 2nd favourite place after Ireland...

[@gerardodwyer5908]

Let's be brutally honest here. Gaelic names that were anglicized before and after the Penal Laws in the 17th century, such as O'Brien, Gleeson, Daly, Dowling, are wholly meaningless. There was an aspiration that this would be "fixed" post independence, but not to be. We are the only "sovereign people" in Europe that have the stamp of colonization literally imprinted in our names, excluding the growing number of people who already had authentic Gaelic surnames or have reverted from anglicized to original more descriptive Gaelic surnames. The Finns, Estonians and Norwegians were colonized for long periods too, yet none changed their names to please their colonizers. Then again, unlike the situation in Ireland under English rule from the mid 16th to 19th century, none of the inhabitants in these countries were forced to cease communication in their native language or adopt new "given" names by their oppressors at the point of a gun if they didn't obey. Those who resisted had their property confiscated, were jailed or hung. Every Irish home should have a copy of the Penal Laws. It's a historical road map to remind us where we came from and why some may still struggle with a confused identity.

[@FearghusMacMurchaidh]

I wish people would change the anglicisations to what it should be

[@NiSiochainGanSaoirse]

Nobody changed their names to "please" the Brits. Come on mo chara. The brits forced it on us at the point of a rifle. .

[@user-in7hz1nu8l]

Great post

[@greg_4201]

I'm calling bullshit on people being hanged (not hung) for saying their names in Gaelic 😂 but anyway, the difference between Ireland and those other countries you mentioned is the Irish were generally more obsessively ethnocentric, brutal and dangerous. it wasn't all cuddly and passive until recently and that only after centuries of English rule... previously it was a case of kill or be killed and the settlers from Great Britain were more organised and could hardly be expected to empower a culture that would see them dead and worse 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@greg_4201]

​​@@NiSiochainGanSaoirsestop exaggerating. the penal laws were essentially economic incentives to stop speaking Gaelic. and at times fines would be issued if you spoke it in court... nobody forced anyone ''at the point of a rifle'' (especially since rifles weren't invented for 99% of the time any such laws were in place) and the Irish could always speak Gaelic outside official situations without fear of legal repercussions.

[@anthonyjames5966]

Great work Davy. Thanks

[@davyholden]

Thank you!

[@NiamhFitzsimons]

Definitely something that deserves more acknowledgement. I'd love to learn more about how some of the not so obvious names developed. Then again, I'm biased. I grew up in Navan, which in Irish is An Uaimh which means The Caves. There are no caves that I know of that are not just man-made tunnels or tombs

[@JoanKirk-jm5lh]

Bring back the old Irish place names!!!!!!❤❤❤❤

[@Tanjacs]

It's so much greater when the names actually make sense!! Townsland of the small hill is a very cute name!! 😊 Thank you so much Davy, enjoyed that a lot!!👍🏻☘️💚🍀🇮🇪

[@francismurphy5986]

Great win for the Bhoys ☘️☘️☘️☘️

[@Tanjacs]

That's awesome and interesting!! I actually was going to ask you for something like that...! 😅

[@davyholden]

Hope you enjoy! 😊

[@Jen999]

This was excellent as always Davy.. made us wonder if there is a listing in each town or city where the names I. The Irish language might be obtained., The waterfall and the church cemetery are the places we would want to visit.. We are making slow and steady progress with our learning the language.. as there are so many things we do not yet know.. Reading it is way easier than speaking.. and second to that is the speed at which we speak.. super slow.. we will keep with it :) Thank you for this video.. we would love to see more like this💜💙☘️

[@davyholden]

Thanks so much Jen!

[@Jen999]

@@davyholden You are so welcome Davy.. another commenter says he appreciated your showing us.. rather than just telling us.. about the names.. we ardently agree.. again, you do an excellent job.. cannot say this enough💜💙☘️

[@CMpuffin]

Fantastic, fascinating video, Davy. Thank you!

[@osasunaitor]

While travelling around Ireland recently, I realised that in Gaeltacht areas some names are not anglicised and only the Gaelic name is shown in traffic signs. For example, one day I was heading to Ballinskelligs (as shown on the map) in County Kerry, but road signs only pointed to _Baile an Sceilg._ I must admit it was slightly confusing at first, but once I got used, I welcomed the change. That's how it should have always been. Greetings from the Basque Country :)

[@anthonywalsh7613]

I love this channel The names even sound better than the Anglicised names I’m gonna share this on an Irish history platform that I’m a member of. Hope you don’t mind

[@davyholden]

Thank you so much Anthony. Feel free to share anywhere you like! Really appreciate it 😊

[@anthonywalsh7613]

@@davyholden Thanks Davy

[@johnrharper3107]

It's a Brit thing, their vowel structures and ignorance meant they made them easier to say, the soldiers who came back from the Napolionic War in Spain brought 'naranjas' back with them, which is why we have 'oranges' .... great videos and thank you.

[@ddr.5959]

Thank you for your enthusiasm. Please keep up your good work in keeping our culture and language alive. I'm ashamed that I never had such inspiration. Regarding place names I grew up in Moon Coin/Mhóin Choinn, which means ""Coyne's Bogland". The thing is it's not a bog and there is no evidence of it being a bog. It's rich farmland near the river Suir, yes the village is in a depression so could have been a bog once, but who would build a village in a bog? So the name tells a story, yet a very confusing one.

[@FearghusMacMurchaidh]

I love the placenames. In my area theres a townland called Doire Locha which shows the history as there used to be a loch which drained into a bog much like everywhere else in the area as the parish is called Eanach Cluana - bog of the meadow

[@cliveprice4909]

Excellent video that will hopefully encourage at the very least a curiosity about Irish, which is one of the oldest languages in the world.

[@thelolguy007]

Great video mo Cara. I’m Irish (with limited Irish) and this was news to me. Great work. Maith and Fear

[@davyholden]

Go raibh míle maith agat a chara

[@IrishConorrr]

Absolutely love poulanassy, the waterfall is gorgeous it's great on a summers day for a little swim!

[@KWOWchannel2024]

Excellent video, Davy. I grew up in Tramore... I'll let the lads and lasses figure the Anglican etymology of that one!😂 All Tramorons that see this, whist!

[@carylbrown2310]

I know this one! trá is beach, and mór is big...Tramore is Big Beach!

[@DidYaServe]

Superb local history as always. Fair play. Great channel.

[@davyholden]

Thank you!

[@shanemoran8260]

Thank you Davey for sharing another wonderful video much respect and appreciation for your channel love from Dublin

[@davyholden]

Thank you so much Shane!

[@DaveKavanagh]

Another great Video and explanation, Thanks Davy.

[@davyholden]

Thank you Dave

[@markhaynes9442]

All your videos are great, Davy. This ranks as one of the best! If I ever get the chance to return to Erin, I will remember this for sure! Thanks!!

[@davyholden]

Thank you so much Mark!

[@robbiesinnott2909]

Davey, I think you’re undervaluing the usefulness of the Anglicised forms. Often, the provide potential clues to dialect, especially in places where there is no recording of the original local Irish there. For example, you pronounce Anglicised “poul” for Irish ‘poll’, and this diphthong is to be expected in the Kilkenny pronunciation of the original Irish pronunciation of the area rather than/po:l/ which you changed it to when you switched to Irish code. Pól is more likely to be found in Ulster and north Connaught for poll. Also, non-stressed -e or -a endings were changed to -í in much of Leinster and north Connaught - where we get Bally from instead of Balla in official placenames from 800 years ago onwards, strongly influenced by the Irish spoken close to or in the Pale.

[@Dan4CW]

I hate myself for oversleeping and missing this.

[@niallduggan1858]

Great video dave would love to see more Irish language videos on the channel!

[@davyholden]

Niall, it’s something I’m thinking about doing. Might do some in the near future 😊

[@lornamarie5544]

Very interesting, thank you really need to do everything we can to keep these Gaelic languages alive.

[@greggbelt9387]

Thanks!

[@davyholden]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@shanekavanagh73]

Really enjoying the recent videos man, fair play

[@davyholden]

Thank you Shane!

[@noah-gs8tl]

love your content good job

[@davyholden]

Thank you Noah!

[@noah-gs8tl]

@@davyholden welcome also don’t mean to be a bother but is there anything during the Irish war of independence what happened in rossknowlagh.

[@user-yr8jj5ut7z]

The same anglicisation happened throughout the empire so Bharat a country became India. Same in planet Earths biggest colony USA names from Native American names. Thanks Davey great Video.

[@gerryfennelly9700]

This is a great explanation it is so important to understand that geography, language, culture, identity, and history all come together too bleed into one in place names in Ireland. Then there are people's first and family names, the names for animals, the names for things, and even the names for different types of weather have real significance in Irish language and culture! This is a great video ! Thank you Davy

[@terrancehanley8530]

Well explained!

[@mickyc05]

Great video Davy. I always say the city/town/village name to myself when driving. Like your dog too

[@iany8230]

Thanks for the explanation.

[@kathleenc8810]

Lots of Ks and Cs. I'm Kathleen, just part Irish. I like the way you say words that end in a T.

[@chad_8110]

The Anglicized meaning here in Florida of KILLKENNY St. means when you drive past it you say "OMG they KILKENNY"

[@tonydalton459]

😂😂

[@crispycookie9739]

This was great! (Was waiting for "Ballina" Béal an Átha) 😊

[@kfossi1986]

What an excellent video. Great job. I love your videos.

[@amandamrs.4904]

You are amazing. Great young man. Write a book. I would buy it.💚💚💚💚💚💚

[@amandamrs.4904]

Excuse my ignorance. I just saw your store. Thank you 💚

[@living2ndchildhood598]

This is an awesome video!! I would like more stories that focus on the Irish Language such as thid video has done.

[@cdrago462]

Damn it Davy. I can only up vote this once!! Brilliant video. Thank you. My Dad was always really interested in the place names and I remember, had some some research on it years ago.

[@davyholden]

Thank you pal 😊

[@elizabethgrieve2085]

Tysm it taught me SO MUCH

[@davyroberts6019]

Will look forward to your next video, ever thought of a book it would be brill...

[@NeoclassicalRadagast]

I should look into how I can learn the Irish language while I'm living in Newfoundland.

[@gabhanachdenogla8342]

and of course you'll have exceptions like Mayfield in Cork. The original name is 'Baile na mBocht' - the town of the poor, it wasn't directly translated for obvious reasons and only down the road is Lovers walk, the name was mistranslated from Irish, the original ‘Lobhar', which sounds similar means Lepers.

[@seanmc3735]

Grand job Davy. Keep on keepin on.

[@davyholden]

Thank you Seán!

[@ChrisBarnard-vd2fj]

Thank you, we are visiting in a few weeks, looking forward to it.

[@itsalwaysteatime3803]

Like Rathcoole in Dublin. Its original name is rath cúil. Rath is a fort in Irish. I could be wrong but i think Rathcoole or rath cúil was originally a look out for clondalkin monastery

[@IndigoJo]

Most English place names in England also don't mean anything; they're just manglings of old Anglo-Saxon or Danish place names or descriptions (and sometimes Latin or Celtic ones). There's even a village called Breedon on the Hill, meaning "hill hill on the hill", because three different tribes settled the area and took the pre-existing name, saw it was on a hill, and added their word for hill.

[@paddyo3841]

You should do Irish history tours…

[@phillipnoone8044]

Should the authorities change the names of all these towns/cities? I say YES!

[@marybeth8028]

Thank you! Absolutely love learning the real Irish history. My name is Brennan

[@peteymax]

Excellent video! Maith thú a chara

[@DWPLANCE]

Digging these vids Davy. More le do thoil

[@Patrickmorris80]

Enjoyed this vid and subscribed I loved it and as a boy I went to school in abbeyleix county Laois ❤

[@stephen3540]

Glasgow derby today folks. Hail Hail from Parkhead 🍀🍀🍀🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪

[@Tanjacs]

😊👍🏻🍀 I'm currently learning the Scottish Great Highland bagpipes. Not easy at all...! 😅🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿😅

[@phillipnoone8044]

I never knew any of this ---- thank you!

[@emilylukacik550]

Good to know! Thank you!

[@Fenian1213a]

Nice job Davy.

[@kenconnor5270]

‘ Na clocha liath ‘ is a fairly accurate translation from the Bearla

[@NiSiochainGanSaoirse]

Shhhh, don't tell them Davey! We must keep things Irish, FOR the Irish.

[@greeb666]

No mention of Muff? And it's associated diving club?

[@pija9505]

Was thinking.. wth. Looks boring.. but ould davy drags out the uncommon sence from the attic. And put the maggots to shame. . Great stuff..

[@StuartBirckhead-fw4ly]

I wish I had seen this video about ten years ago. Maybe me and my brother wouldn’t have pulled over in I don’t remember where Ireland on a country road and squared off with one another! Oh well feck it right?! ☘️

[@markusmundt5173]

😂 i bothered my wife by explaining Irish town names on pur first Holiday in Ireland. Love it.

[@markusmundt5173]

Our first ...

[@TiocfaidharlaYmaoHyd]

I Love ya Passion for Our Country, Our History and Our Language ❤🇮🇪 Please keep doing these Amazing Videos for Everyone too see. However i have to watch ya Videos more than Once Because I'm sooooo distracted by how Cute ya Are 😂😢❤

[@Midland_Wolf_71]

Stuck in GB my whole life and desperately hoping I can get it together to LEAVE for a move to maybe Wexford, Waterford, Cork. Monaghan family background but I much prefer way down South… Beautiful country and truly wonderful people.

[@MolloyPolloy]

I live in wexford and it's magic. Check out curracloe Beach... It's magnificent.

[@conormacnessa7723]

Shared

[@ranica47]

Nice video again man although I think you need to work on your pronunciation of "ch" I nGaeilge. I know in Munster and Leinster it's kind of ignored but I think it's an essential part of the sound of Irish.

[@ciananmacreamoinn9253]

I'm fairly sure these names were always created by an English man just trying to write down phonetically what the Irish speakers told him the place-names were. I like saying the Irish place-name in the local accent and, most of the time, you can see how the English man wrote down what he heard

[@mancavus792]

Nice video. How would you interpret my great great grandfather's birthplace, "Gathannaibh" in English? Google says it means "Rays". Perhaps its a reference to sunlight. What's your thought?

[@skyking8420]

HELP!! Moms village in Connemara just down the road from Cashel and Recess was always know to us as Tawnaghbawn, now the place name rock at the entrance reads "Tamnach B-an" (The line is over the a) I have heard white stone field as a translation but cannot get a definite, your help would be welcome Thanks Go Raibh Maith Agat

[@skyking8420]

I missed an 'h' it is Tamhnachba'n...anyone??

[@murpho999]

Good video but don’t think you should be recording whilst driving, especially with so many road deaths lately.

[@shreyashseedoyal6107]

Tá sé iontach

[@paulseoighemcgee5772]

Maith thu , a chara ! Is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste .

[@bethdavison6566]

Very interesting..I always thought the english name was a translation of the Irish name above 🤦

[@freshcancer713]

What does carrignavar mean?

[@waynemcauliffe-fv5yf]

Why don`t you change them all back now?