Irish Place Names

Place Names of Ireland

List of Irish Place Names.


Irish Toasts | Irish History

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Name.
County.
Meaning.
 Bahana   same as Behanagh, which see.
Bailey   Lighthouse at Howth ; from The old bally or fortress of Criffan, king of Ireland Co The first century, on The site of which it was built.
Balbriggan Co Dublin Baile-BreacaCo , Brecan's town.
Baldoyle Co Dublin Baile-Dubhghoill, Dubhghall's or Doyle's town.
Balfeddock   The town of The feadogs or plovers.
Balgeeth Co Meath The town of The wind (gaeth).
Balla Co Mayo Co The Life of St. Mochua, we are told that before The saint founded his monastery there Co The seventh century, The place was called Ros-dairbh-reach [Ros-dar'aragh], i. e. oak grove; that he enclosed The wells of his establishment with a balla or wall; and that hence The place received The new name of Balla.
Ballagh   Bealach, a road or pass.
Ballaghaderreen Co Mayo ; The road of The derreen or little oak wood.
Ballaghbehy   The road of The birch (beith),
Ballaghboy   Yellow road (buidhe).
Ballaghkeen Co Wexford Beautiful road (caeCo ).
Ballaghkeeran   The road of The keerans or quicken trees.
Ballaghmore   Great road.
Ballard   Baile-ard, high town.
Ballee Co Down Written Co The Taxation of 1306...
Baliath   From The Irish Baile-atha, The town of The ford.
Balleen   Little bally or town.
Ballina   The name of many places; Bel-an-atha [Bella-naha], The mouth of The ford.
Ballinabarny   The town of The bearna or gap.
Ballinaboy Co Cork Galway, and Roscommon; Bel-an-atha-buidhe, The mouth of The yellow ford.
Ballinaclogh   The town of The stones (cloch).
Ballinacor   Ballinacur, Ballinacurra; Baile-na-corra, The town of The weir.
Ballinafad   Bel-an-atha-fada [Bellanafadda], The mouth of The long ford.
Ballinagar   Bel-atha-na-gcarr [Bellanagar], The ford-mouth of The cars.
Ballinahinch Co Down The town of The inis or island.
Ballinahinch Co Galway The town of The inis or island.
Ballinakill   The town of The church or wood.
Ballinalack Co Westmeath Bel-atha-na-leac [Bellana-lack], The mouth of The ford of The flag-stones.
Ballinalee   and Ballinalea; Bel-atha-na-laegh, The ford-mouth of The calves.
Ballinamona   Baile-na-mona, The town of The hog.
Ballinamore   Bel-an-atha-moir, The mouth of The great ford.
Ballinamought Co Cork Baile-na-mbocht, The town of The poor people (bocht).
Ballinard   The town of The ard or height.
Ballinascarty   The town of The scart or thicket.
Ballinasloe   Bel-atha-na-sluaigheadh [Bellanaslooa], F. M., The ford-mouth of The hosts or gatherings.
Ballinaspick   Ballinaspig; Baile-an-easpuig, The town of The bishop.
Ballinastraw   The town of The srath or river-holm.
Ballinchalla o Mayo On Lough Mask Co Mayo; Baile-an-chala, The town of The callow or landing place.
Ballinclare   The town of The clar or plaCo .
Ballincloghan   The same as Ballyologhan.
Ballincollig   Baile-an-chullaigh, The town of The boar.
Ballincurra   Ballincurrig, Ballincurry; Baile-an-chur-raigh, The town of The currach or marsh.
Ballinderry   The town of The derry or oak wood.
Ballindrait   Ballindrehid; Baile-an-droichid, The town of The bridge.
Ballineddan Co Wicklow Baile-an-fheadaCo , The town of The feadan or streamlet.
Ballinfoyle Co Galway and Wicklow
Ballingaddy   The town of The thief (gadaighe), i.e. The black thief O'Dwane.
Ballingarrane   The town of The garran or shrubbery.
Ballingarry   Baile-an-gharrdha, The town of The garden.
Ballinglanna   Ballinglen; The town of The glen.
Ballingowan;   The town of The smith (gobha).
Ballinlass   Ballinlassa, Ballinlassy, Ballinliss; The town of The lios or fort.
Ballinlough   The town of The lake.
Ballinloughan   Ballinloughaun; the town of The little lake.
Ballinlug   Ballinluig; the town of The lug or hollow.
Ballinphuill   Ballinphull; see page 2.
Ballinree   Sometimes Baile-an-fhraeigh, the town of the heath (fraech); sometimes Baile-an-righ, the town of The king.
Ballinrobe   The town of The river Robe.
Ballinrostig   Roche's town.
Ballinspittle   The town of The spital or hospital.
Ballintaggart    
Ballinteer   Baile-an-tsaeir, the town of the carpenter.
Ballintemple   The town of the temple or church.
Ballinteskin   Baile-an-tsescenn, the town of the morass.
Ballintlea   Ballintleva, Ballintlevy, Ballintlieve; Baile-an-tsleibhe, The town of The mountaCo (sliabh).
Ballintober   The town of The well.
Ballintogher   The town of The togher or causeway.
Ballintubbert   Ballintubbrid; same as Ballintober.
Ballinure   The town of The yew tree (iubhar).
Ballinvally   Baile-an-bhealaigh, the town of the road.
Ballinvarrig   Ballinvarry; Barry's town.
Ballinvella   Ballinvilla; Baile-an-bhile, The town of The bile or ancient tree.
Ballinvoher   Baile-an-bhothair, The town of The road.
Ballinvreena Co Limerick And Tipperary; The town of The bruighean [breen] or fairy mansion.
Ballinwill   Baile-an-mhuilinn, The town of The mill.
Ballinwully   Co Roscommon
Ballytore Co Kildare Took its name from a ford on the river Greece; Bel-atha-a'-tuair [Bellatoor], the ford mouth of the tuar or bleach green.
Ballyard   High town.
Bailybaan   Ballybane, Ballybaun; white town.
Ballybay Co Monaghan Bel-atha-bei the [Bellabehy], the ford mouth of the birch.
Ballybeg   Small town.
Ballyboe   i. e. " cow-land," a measure of land.
Ballybofey Co Donegal. The correct old name is Srath-bofey. Some occupier named Fiach or Fay must have in past times kept his cows on the holm along the Finn; Srath-bo-Fiaich, F. M., the river holm of Fiach's cows.
Ballyboghil Co Dublin The town of the bachal or crozier; from St. Patrick's crozier.
Ballyboley   The town of The booley or dairy place.
Ballybough Co Dublin Baile-bocht, poor town; The same as Ballybought Co other places.
Ballyboy   In King's County; written in Irish authorities Baile-atha-buidhe [Ballyaboy], the town of the yellow ford; the name is common in other counties and sometimes means yellow town (Baile-buidhe).
Ballybrack   Speckled town.
Ballybrannagh   Walsh's town. The proper name Walsh is in Irish Breathnach [Branagh], i. e. Briton.
Ballybunnion Co Kerry Bunnion's town.
Ballycahan   Ballycahane; O'Cahan's town.
Ballycahill   Cahill's or O'Cahill's town.
Ballycastle Co Antrim The town of The castle.
Ballycastle Co Mayo The town of The cashel or circular stone fort.
Ballyclare The same as Ballinclare.  
Ballyclerahan Co Tipperary O'Clerahan's town.
Ballyclogh,   Ballyclohy; The town of The stones.
Ballycloghan   The town of the cloghan or row of stepping stones across a river.
Ballyclug Co Antrim The town of The bell (clog).
Ballycolla   The town of Colla, a man's name.
Ballyconnell Co Cavan According to tradition, Conall Carnagh, one of the most renowned of the Red Branch knights of Ulster, was slain here in the first century; hence it was called Bel-atha-Chonaill, the mouth of the ford of Conall.
Ballycormick   Cormac's or O'Cormac's town.
Ballycullane   O'Cullane's or O'Collins's town.
Ballydehob Co Cork Bel-atha-da-chab, The ford of The two cabs or mouths ; from some local feature.
Ballyduff   Black town.
Ballyea   O'Hea's or Hayes's town.
Ballyeighter   Baile-iochtar, lower town.
Ballyfoyle   The town of The hole (poll).
Ballygarran   Ballygarraun; The town of The garran or shrubbery.
Ballyglass   Green town.
Ballygowan   The town of The smith (gobha).
Ballyheige Co Kerry Baile-ui-Thadg, The town of O'Teige.
Ballyhooly Co Cork Near Mallow; took its name from an ancient ford on The Blackwater, called in The Book of Lismore Ath-ubhla [Ahoola]; The ford of the apples. the people now call it in Irish Baile-atha-ubhla (which they pronounce Blaa-hoola), the town of the apple ford, which has been shortened to the present name.
Ballykeel   Baile-cael, narrow town.
Ballyknock   The town of The hill.
Ballyknockan   Ballyknockane; The town of The little -hill.
Ballylanders Co Limerick Landers's town, from an English family of that name.
Ballylig   The town of The lug or hollow.
Ballylongford Co Kerry Bel-atha-longphuirt, the ford-mouth of the longphort or fortress; because it led to Carrigafoyle castle, two miles off.
Ballylough   Ballyloughan, Ballyloughaun; The town of The lake.
Ballylusk   Ballylusky; Baile-loisgin , burnt town; from the practice of burning the surface in tillage.
Ballymena Co Antrim Ballymenagh; Baile-meadhonach, middle town.
Ballymoney Co Antrim The town of The shrubbery (muine).
Ballymore   Great town; sometimes when the place is on a river it is Bel-atha-moir [Bellamore], the mouth of the great ford.
Ballymote   Baile-an-mhota, F. M., the town of the moat or mound.
Ballynabarna   Ballynabarny, Ballynabearna; the town of the gap. See Ballinabarny.
Ballynaboley   Ballynaboola, Ballynabooley; the town of the booley or dairy place (buaile). See Bally-boley.
Ballynacally   The town of The calliagh or hag.
Ballynacarrick   Ballynacarrig, Ballynacarriga, Ballynacarrigy; the town of The rock (carraig).
Ballynaclogh   Ballynacloghy; Baile-na-cloiche, The town of The cloch or stone.
Ballynacor   Ballynacorra; The town of The weir (cora).
Ballynacourty   The town of The court or mansion.
Ballynagall   Ballynagaul; the town of the Galls or foreigners.
Ballynagard   The town of the ceards or artificers.
Ballynagee   Ballynageeha; town of the wind (gaeth}.
Ballynageeragh   The town of the sheep (caera).
Ballynaglogh   Baile-na-gcloch, the town of The stones.
Ballynagore   The town of the goats (gabhar).
Ballynagowan   The town of The smiths (gobha).
Ballynagran;   Baile-na-gcrann, The town of The trees
Ballynahaglish   The town of The church (eaglais}.
Ballynahinch   The town of The inis or island.
Ballynahone   Ballynahown, Ballynahowna; The town of The river (abhainn).
Ballynahow   The town of The river (abh).
Ballynakill   Ballynakilla, Ballynakilly; The town of the church or wood (cill or coill).
Ballynalacken   The town of The leacan or hill side.
Ballynamona   The town of the bog (moin ).
Ballynamuck   The town of the pigs (muc).
Ballynamuddagh   Baile-na-mbodach, the town of The bodachs or churls.
Ballynaraha   The town of the rath or fort.
Ballynatona   Ballynatone; the town of the backside or hill (toin ).
Ballynatray   The town of the strand (traigh).
Ballyneety   Baile-an-Fhaeite, the town of White, a family name of English origin.
Ballyness   The town of the waterfall (eas).
Ballynew   Ballynoe; Baile-nua, new town.
Ballynure   Baile-an-iubhair, The town of The yew.
Ballyorgan Co Limerick Organ's or Horgan's town.
Ballyragget Co Kilkenny Bel-atha~Raghat, F. M., Ragat's ford-mouth.
Ballyroe   Baile-ruadh, red town.
Ballyroosky   The town of the rusk or marsh.
Ballysadare Co Sligo; Originally Eas-dara [Assdara], the cataract of the oak, from The beautiful fall on the Owenmore river. It was afterwards called Baile-easa-dara [Ballyassadara], F. M., The town of Assdara, which has been shortened to the present name.
Ballysaggart;   The town of the sagart or priest
Ballysakeery see page 3. Co Mayo
Ballysallagh   Dirty town.
Ballyshane   Shane's or John's town.
Ballyshannon   The old ford on the Erne is called by the annalists Ath-seanaigh and Bel-atha-seanaigh [Bella-shanny]; from the latter, the present name is derived, and it means the mouth of Seanach's or Shannagh's ford, a man's name in common use. the `on' is a modern corruption; the peasantry call the town Ballyshanny, which is nearer the original. Ballyshannon in Kildare is similarly derived.
Ballytarsna   Ballytarsney; cross-town; i. e. The village or townland had a cross or transverse position.
Ballyteige   O'Teige's town.
Ballytrasna;   Same as Ballytarsna
Ballyvaghan Co Clare Baile-ui-BheachaCo , O'Behan's town.
Ballywater   Baile-uachtar, upper town.
Ballywillin   The town of The mill (muileann).
Balrath   Baile-ratha, The town of The fort.
Balrathboyne Co Meath. St. BaeithCo [Bweeheen; but often pron. Boyne], the son of Cuana, built a church here near an ancient rath, and the rath remains, though the church is gone. Hence it was called Rath-BaeithCo , and in recent times, Balrathboyne, the town of BaeithCo 's rath.
Balrothery   Baile-a'-ridire [Ballyariddery], the town of The knight.
Baltinglass   It is written Bealach-Chonglais [Ballacon-glas] in Irish authorities, the road or pass of Cuglas, a person about whom there is a very ancient legend.
Baltrasna   The same as Ballytarsna.
Baltray   The town of The strand (traigh).
Banagh Co Donegal Barony of, . It is called in the annals Baghaineach [Bawnagh], i. e. The territory of Boghaine [Boana] or Enna Boghaine, The son of Conall Gulban, son of the great king Niall of The Nine Hostages, who reigned from A.D. 379 to 405.
Banagher   And Bangor; Beannchor [Banaher], F. M., (from The root beann], signifies horns, or pointed hills or rocks, and sometimes simply a pointed hill.
Bannow Co Wexford The harbour was called Cuan-an-bhainbh [Coon-an-wonniv], the harbour of the bonniv or sucking pig; and the village has preserved the latter part of the name changed to Bannow.
Bansha   Bainseach [Bawnsha], a level place.
Bantry   Beantraighe [Bantry], Book of R., i. e. the descendants of-Beann [Ban], one of the sons of Conor Mac Nessa, king of Ulster in the first century. A part of the tribe settled Co Wexford, and another part Co Cork, and the barony of Bantry Co the former county, and the town of Bantry in the latter, retain their name.
Barna   Bearna, a gap.
Barnaboy   Yellow gap.
Barnageeha   Barnageehy; windy gap (gaoth).
Barnane-Ely Co Tipperary From the remarkable gap in the Devil's Bit mountain ; Bearnan-Eile, The little gap of Ely, The ancient territory Co which it was situated.
Barnes   Barnish; Bearnas, a gap.
Barnismore   Great gap.
Barr   The top of anything.
Baslick   Baisleac, F. M., a basilica or church.
Batterstown   The town of The batter (bothar) or road.
Bawnmore   Great green field.
Bawnoge   Little green field.
Bawnreagh   Greyish green field.
Bawnskeha   The green field of the bush (seeach).
Bawnboy   Yellow field.
Bawnfune   Ban-fionn, white field.
Bawnmore   Great green field.
Beagh   Beitheach [Beha], a place of bircnes.

Bear

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   Barony, island, and haven, Co Cork. Owen More, king of Munster in the second century, spent nine years in Spain , and, according to an old legend, he married Beara, daughter of the king of that country. On his return to Ireland to make war against Conn of the hundred battles, he landed on the north side of Bantry bay, and called the place Beara in honour of his wife.
Beheenagh   Behernagh; a place of birches (beith).
Behy   Birch land.
Belfarsad   The same as Belfast.
Belfast   In old times the Lagan used to be crossed here by a farset or sandbank, and hence the place was called Belfeirste, F. M., the bel or ford of the farset.
Bellaghy   The mouth or entrance of The lahagh or slough.
Bellanacargy Co Cavan Bel-atha-na-cairrge, the mouth, of the ford of the rock (carraig}.
Bellanagar Co Roscommon Bel-atha-na-gcarr, the mouth of the ford of the cars.
Bellananagh Co Cavan Bel-atha-na-neach, the mouth of the ford of the horses (each).
Bellaugh Co Roscommon The same as Bellaghy.
Belleek   Near Ballyshannon; Bel-leice [Bellecka], F. M., the ford-mouth of the flag stone, from the flat surfaced rock in the bed of the river. Belleek in other places is similarly derived.
Beltany   From Bealtaine or Beltaine, the first of May; because the May day sports used to be celebrated there.
Ben;   A peak, a pointed hill (beann).
Benbo   Mountain near Manorhamilton, is called in Irish Beanna-bo, F. M., the peaks or horns of the cow, from its curious double peak.
Benburb Co Tyrone From a cliff over the Blackwater, called Co the annals Beann-borb, the proud peak.
Bengore head   The peak of the goats (gabhar).
Bengorm   Blue peak.
Benmore   Great peak.
Bignion   or Binnion; small ben or peak.
Billy   Co Antrim; Bile, an ancient tree.
Binbulbin   Correct name, Binn-Gulbain , Gulban's peak.
Bogagh   Boggagh, Boggan, Boggaun; a boggy place.
Boher   Bothar [boher], a road.
Boherard   High road.
Boherboy   Yellow road.
Boherduff   Black road
Bohereen   Little road.
Bohermeen   Smooth road.
Boherroe   Red road.
Boho Co Fermanagh Botha [boha], tents or huts.
Bohola   Both-Thola, Hy. F., St. Tola's hut.
Boley   Buaile, a milking place for cattle.
Boleybeg   Little boley or dairy place.
Boola   Booley; The same as Boley.
Boolyglass   Green booley.
Booterstown Co Dublin The town of the bothar, batter, or road.in a roll of the fifteenth century it is called Ballybothyr, which shows that the Irish name was Baile-an-bhothair, the town of the road, of which the present name is a kind of half translation.
Borheen   Same as Bohereen.
Borris   Buirghes [burris], a burgage or borough.
Borris-in-Ossory   From The old territory of Ossory.
Borrisokane   O'Keane's borough town.
Borrisoleigh   From the ancient territory Ui Luighdheach [Hy Leea], in which it was situated.
Bourney Co Tipperary Boirne [bourny], rocky lands, the plural of Burren.
Bovevagh   Both-Mheidhbhe [Boh-veva], the hut or tent of Maev or Mabel, a woman's name.
Boylagh   Barony of, Co Donegal; i. e. the territory of The O'Boyles
Boyounagh   Yellow ounagh or marsh (abhnach}.
Braade   Same as Braid.
Brackagh   Brackenagh, Brackernagh, Bracklagh; a speckled place, from breac, speckled.
Bracklin   Brackloon; Breac-cluain , speckled meadow.
Braid The river Co Antrim; Applied to the deep glen through which the river flows; Braghad [brand], a gullet or gorge.
Brandon hill Co Kerry And also in Kilkenny; both called from St. Brendan the Navigator, who flourished in the sixth century.
Bray Co Wicklow It is called Bree in old documents, and it took name from the rocky head near it: Bri [bree], a hill. the name of Bray head in Valentia Island Co Kerry, is similarly derived.
Breaghva   Breaghwy, Breaghy; Breach-mhagh [Breavah], The plain of the wolves (breach, a wolf; magh, a plain ).
Breandrum   Stinking drum or ridge.
Brigown Co Cork; Near Mitchelstown written Bri-gobh-unn [Breegown] in the Book of Lismore, the bree or hill of the smith (gobha).
Brittas   Speckled land.
Britway Co Cork A corruption of Breaghva, which see.
Brockagh   A place of brocs or badgers.
Bruff Co Limerick A corrupt form of Brugh [bru], a fort or mansion. the brugh is the old fort near the town.
Bruis   Another form of Brugh [bru], a mansion.
Bruree Co Limerick Called in Irish documents Brugh-righ [Bruree], the fort or palace of the king; for it was the chief seat of Olioll Olum, king of Munster in the second century, and afterwards of the O'Donovans. Several of the old forts still remain.
Bullaun   Bullan, a well in a rock.
Bun   The bottom or end of anything; the mouth of a river.
Buncrana Co Donegal The mouth of the river Crana.
Bunlahy   The end of the lahagh or slough.
Bunratty Co Clare The mouth of the river Ratty, now called The Owen O'Garney.
Burren   Boireann, a rock, a rocky district.
Burriscarra   The burris or borough of the old territory of Carra.
Burrishoole   Derived like Burriscarra, from the territory of Umhall [ool] or " The Owles."
Burrisnafarney Co Tipperary The burris or borough of the alder-plain (see Farney).
Buttevant Co Cork From the French motto of the Barrys, Boutez-en-avant, push forward. the Irish name is Kilnamullagh, The cell or church of the summits (mullach).
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