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Gaelic Geographical Root Words for Irish Town Names

Ever wonder what some Irish town names mean in English? Here is an alphabetical list of terms with their English translation, the variant spellings, and examples.

Thanks to Ray Marshall for sharing this information with other Kerry researchers. He in turn thanks John Fitzgerald for the list of Gaelic words.


Term/TranslationVariationsExamples
Achadh (field)Agha-, Ath-, Aha-, Agh-, A-Aghadoe
Ard (hill/height)Ard-Ardmore, Ardagh
Ath (ford)Agha-, Ath-, Aha-, Agh-, A-Adare, Athenry, Athlone, Annacloy
Baile (town/homeplace)Bally-, Bal-, Ball-, Ballina-, Ballyna-Ballydehob, Ballinlough, Ballyagherty
-Bawn ( )  
Beal (mouth)Bal-, Bel-Ballina, Belfast, Belmullet, Bellanagare
Beann (peak, pointed hill)Bin-, Ben-Binroe, Benburb
-Beg (lesser, under, lower, smaller)  
Bóthar (road)Boher-Stoneybatter, Boherduff
-Brack ( ) Knockbrack
Bun (bottom, mouth of a river)Bun-Bunclody, Buncrana, Bunratty
Caiseal (circular fort)Cash-Cashel
Carn (cairn, heap of stones)Carn-Carndonagh, Carnew, Carnlough
Carrig (rock)Carrig-, Carrick-Carrick, Carrickfergus, Carrickmacross
Ceapach (tillage plot)Cap-Capparoe, Cappamore
Ceathru (quarter)Car(ra)-, Carrow-, Curra- (ry-), Curragh- 
Cill (church)Kill-, Kil-Killarney, Kildare, Kilcullen, Kilkenny
Cluan (meadow)Cloon-. Clon-Clones, Clonmel, Clontarf, Clontibret
Cnoc (hill)Knock-Knockdown, Crockaness, Cruckanim
Coill (a wood)Kil-, Kyl-Kylemore, Cuilbane, Killinch, Killeshil
-Creen ( ) Knockeenkreen
Cruach (rounded hill)Croagh-Croaghbeg, Croaghpatrick
Cúl (rear)Cool-, Cul 
Cúm (hollow)Coom-Coomcallee, Coomclochan

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Doire (oak wood, grove)Derry-Derry, Derrycarna, Derrygarriv
Domhnach (Sunday/church)Donny-, Dunna-, Donna-Donaghmore, Donnybrook, Rathdowney
-Down ( )  
Dún (fort, palace)Dun-, Don-Doneraile, Dundrum, Dunloe, Doonagore
Droim (ridge, hillock)Drum-, Drim-, Drom-Drumcree, Drumanoo, Drumcondra
-Duff ( )  
Eiscir (esker) Ahascragh, Esker
Fionn (clear, white)Fin-Finglas, Fintragh
Glaise (small river)Glas-Glasagh
Glaisín (stream)Glash-Glasheencoombaun
Gleann (glen, valley)Glen-, Glan-Glendalough, Glenealy, Glenroe
Gort (tilled field)Gurt-, Gort-Gortboy, Gortahork, Gurteenflugh
Inbhear (mouth of a river) Dromineer, Inver
Inis (island, water meadow)Inis- ,Inish- ,Inch- ,Insh-Ennis, Inch, Inistioge, Lahinch
Kil-See Cill 
Knock-See Cnoc 
Leath (half)Le-, La- 
Leitir (hillside)Let-Letterkenny, Lettermore
Lios (ring fort)Lis-Lismore, Listowel, Lisheenagower
Loch (a lake)Lough-Lough, Loughbeg, Loughrea

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Machaire (a plain)Magh-Maghera, Magherafelt
Magh (plain)May, MoyMaydown, Mayboy, Moybuy, Moycullen
Mám (mountain pass)Maum-Maum,Maumtrasna, Maumturk
Meen ( )Meen-Meenleitrim, Meanganeare
-Mor (greater, over, upper, larger)  
Muileann (a mill)Mullin-Mullinahone, Mullinavat, Mullingar
Mullach (a summit)Mal-, Mul-Malahide, Mullagh, Mullaghmore
Poll (a hole)Pol-Pollans, Pollrone
Port (bank of a river, landing place)Port-Portlaoise, Portmarnock, Portroe
Rath (circular fort, earth mound)Rath-, Ra-Raheen, Rabane, Rathkeale, Rathmore
Ros (wood, headland)Ros-New Ross, Roscommon, Roscrea
Sean (old)Shan-Shandon, Shankill, Shanmullagh
Sliabh (mountain)Sl-Slemish, Slievenamon, Slievenamuck
Tamhlagh (grave)Talla-, Tamla- 
-Tooreen  
Tra (strand, beach)Tra-Tralee, Tramore
Tuaim (burial mound)Tuam-Tuam, Tuamgraney
Tullach (hillock, mound)Tulla-, Tul-, Toll-Tullamore, Tulrahan
Uaimh (cave) Mullinahone, Ovens

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Ray Marshall contributed this information for County Kerry, Ireland at rootsweb.com/~irlker/
This page created November, 1999.
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