Townland Names

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Link to a recording by the Killknaboy Mapping Group for the X-PO Folk Radio Project

 

The following is an explanation of the parish townland names. It is based mainly on The History and Topography of the County of Clare by James Frost. In some instances an alternative explanation is shown in brackets. This may inspire the reader to think, and realise how the meaning of place-names may vary.

 

Aglish -                      Church or church land

 

Anneville -                 The marsh of the large or sacred tree (or the ford or plain of the large or sacred tree)

 

Ballard -                    The high lying townland. Adjoining this townland is Ballyeighter which means “the lower townland”          

 

Ballinphunta -           A place where cattle were impounded. This place is now generally known as

                                    Poundtown.

 

Ballycasheen -          O'Cashen's habitation

 

Ballyportry -              Hogstown

 

Baunkyle -                 The white wood. (Probably hazel)

 

Booltiaghadine -       The low lying milking place

 

Bunnanagat -            The hollow of the cats

 

Caherblonick -          The caher (stone fort) of the land

 

Caherbullaun -         The caher of the bullock (The caher of the bullaun stone. Such stones are common, especially in                                                       limestone areas)

 

Caherfadda -             The long caher

 

Cahermackateer -    The wolf’s caher (or Macateer's caher)

 

Cahermacon -           The caher of the son of Con

 

Carrownamaddra -  The dog's quarter

 

Coad -                        Brushwood/an uninhabited place or a grave. Local tradition says the name derives from the stone

                                   located here which is said to have been the same height as Teige O’Brien known as Teige an Chomhaid.

 

Commons -               Common land

 

Cooloorta -                A damp or wet corner.

 

Creehaun -                The aspen tree

 

Crossard -                 The high cross or rather the cross placed upon high ground to show the boundary of the land belong to

                                    the church of Killinaboy. See 'Elmvale' below.

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Dabrian -                   O'Brien's house.

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Drummoher -           The hill with the stone sheepfold

 

Elmvale -                  This is an imposed name. The original name was 'Cross Iochtar' signifying a cross erected to mark one                                           boundary point of the Killinaboy church lands. The other points are said to be at Crossard and at the top                                         of Roughaun hill.

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Glenquin -                 O'Quin's valley

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Gortlecka -                The field of flag stones

 

Inchiquin -                 O'Quin's island

 

Islandmore -             The great island

 

Killeen -                     A child's burial place (or a little church or a little wood)

 

Killinaboy -                The church of the daughter of Baoith

 

Kilvoydan -                The church of the Blessed Virgin i.e. Cill Mhaighdeain

 

Knockaunroe -          The red hillock

 

Lackareagh -             The brown flag stones

 

Laghtagoona -           The stone heap of the stripper cow (or the stone heap of the calves i.e. the stones thrown from the ass                                            basket, that were placed there to balance the weight of the calf which was carried to the market in the                                            the brasket).

 

Leamaneh -               The horse leap

 

Leana -                       A swampy meadow

 

Lisduff -                     The black lios (An earthen fort)

 

Monanaleen -            The flax producing place

 

Nooan -                      The caves

 

Parknabinnia -          The field on the summit of a hill

 

Poulnalour -              The lepers' cave

 

Rinnamona -             The bog division

                          

Roughaun -               A beacon fire

 

Shandangan -           The old stronghold

 

Slievenaglasha -       The rough land by the stream (or the mountain of the Glas Ghoibhneach, the

                                    legendary cow or the mountain of the ditches)

 

Teeskagh -                Cutting down trees or lopping off branches.

 

Tullycommon -          A hill commonage.

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