Ireland placenames that have a nice ring to them

Started by BennyCake, May 19, 2020, 02:33:19 PM

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Substandard



Itchy

I think irish towns should be primarily spelt in Irish with English written underneath in small letters. The Irish is the only thing that makes any sense. Amount of people that don't even know the meaning of the place name they are from is cat. Yer man Creedon had a interesting show on it on tv.

Evil Genius

Quote from: Substandard on May 20, 2020, 11:13:58 PM
Swanlinbar.
Known locally as "Swad", possibly because the mane Cavan bastards thereabouts imagine one syllable is cheaper than three?

Anyhow, I remember once hearing that Swanlinbar wasn't an Irish name at all, but rather was named for three (English?) people, Messrs. Swann, Lynn and Barr, who had owned/operated a Spa in the village.

On consulting Wiki, it appears that I was close(ish), but the details differ somewhat.
According to Jonathan Swift, writing in 1728:
"There is likewise a famous town, where the worst iron in the kingdom is made, and it is called Swandlingbar: the original of which name I shall explain, lest the antiquaries of future ages might be at a loss to derive it. It was a most witty conceit of four gentlemen, who ruined themselves with this iron project. 'Sw' stands for Swift (Swift's uncle, Godwin Swift, for whose memory he had no special regard, was the instigator of the ironworks and the person named. He lost his fortune due to the mismanagement of the business), 'And' stands for Sanders (Robert Saunders of Dublin), 'Ling' for Darling (Richard Darling of Dublin), and 'Bar' for Barry (Richard Barry). Methinks I see the four loggerheads sitting in consult, like Smectimnius, each gravely contributing a part of his own name, to make up one for their place in the iron-work; and could wish they had been hanged, as well as undone, for their wit."

Meanwhile, wiki notes that:
The earliest name recorded for the village was Sra-na-muck which means "The River-field of the pigs". The current official Irish name An Muileann Iarainn meaning 'Iron Mill' reflects the foundation of an ironworks in the town in 1700.

And Swift's typically humourous, if unsparing, comment was included in an essay of his entitled: "On Barbarous Denominations", which might be better referenced in the "Irish placenames that might make you snigger" thread:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=JC4CAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA147&lpg=PA147&dq=%22on+barbarous+denominations+in+ireland%22&source=web&ots=2wLJ_Vb7Az&sig=Wkjr3s91-eKvf2L0gzAL3XVu2XE&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22on%20barbarous%20denominations%20in%20ireland%22&f=false
"If you come in here again, you'd better bring guns"
"We don't need guns"
"Yes you fuckin' do"


Itchy

Quote from: Evil Genius on May 21, 2020, 12:30:26 AM
Quote from: Substandard on May 20, 2020, 11:13:58 PM
Swanlinbar.
Known locally as "Swad", possibly because the mane Cavan bastards thereabouts imagine one syllable is cheaper than three?

Anyhow, I remember once hearing that Swanlinbar wasn't an Irish name at all, but rather was named for three (English?) people, Messrs. Swann, Lynn and Barr, who had owned/operated a Spa in the village.

On consulting Wiki, it appears that I was close(ish), but the details differ somewhat.
According to Jonathan Swift, writing in 1728:
"There is likewise a famous town, where the worst iron in the kingdom is made, and it is called Swandlingbar: the original of which name I shall explain, lest the antiquaries of future ages might be at a loss to derive it. It was a most witty conceit of four gentlemen, who ruined themselves with this iron project. 'Sw' stands for Swift (Swift's uncle, Godwin Swift, for whose memory he had no special regard, was the instigator of the ironworks and the person named. He lost his fortune due to the mismanagement of the business), 'And' stands for Sanders (Robert Saunders of Dublin), 'Ling' for Darling (Richard Darling of Dublin), and 'Bar' for Barry (Richard Barry). Methinks I see the four loggerheads sitting in consult, like Smectimnius, each gravely contributing a part of his own name, to make up one for their place in the iron-work; and could wish they had been hanged, as well as undone, for their wit."

Meanwhile, wiki notes that:
The earliest name recorded for the village was Sra-na-muck which means "The River-field of the pigs". The current official Irish name An Muileann Iarainn meaning 'Iron Mill' reflects the foundation of an ironworks in the town in 1700.

And Swift's typically humourous, if unsparing, comment was included in an essay of his entitled: "On Barbarous Denominations", which might be better referenced in the "Irish placenames that might make you snigger" thread:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=JC4CAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA147&lpg=PA147&dq=%22on+barbarous+denominations+in+ireland%22&source=web&ots=2wLJ_Vb7Az&sig=Wkjr3s91-eKvf2L0gzAL3XVu2XE&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22on%20barbarous%20denominations%20in%20ireland%22&f=false

I didnt know that about Swad, interesting.

Billys Boots

My hands are stained with thistle milk ...

Substandard

Quote from: Itchy on May 21, 2020, 01:36:11 PM
Quote from: Evil Genius on May 21, 2020, 12:30:26 AM
Quote from: Substandard on May 20, 2020, 11:13:58 PM
Swanlinbar.
Known locally as "Swad", possibly because the mane Cavan bastards thereabouts imagine one syllable is cheaper than three?

Anyhow, I remember once hearing that Swanlinbar wasn't an Irish name at all, but rather was named for three (English?) people, Messrs. Swann, Lynn and Barr, who had owned/operated a Spa in the village.

On consulting Wiki, it appears that I was close(ish), but the details differ somewhat.
According to Jonathan Swift, writing in 1728:
"There is likewise a famous town, where the worst iron in the kingdom is made, and it is called Swandlingbar: the original of which name I shall explain, lest the antiquaries of future ages might be at a loss to derive it. It was a most witty conceit of four gentlemen, who ruined themselves with this iron project. 'Sw' stands for Swift (Swift's uncle, Godwin Swift, for whose memory he had no special regard, was the instigator of the ironworks and the person named. He lost his fortune due to the mismanagement of the business), 'And' stands for Sanders (Robert Saunders of Dublin), 'Ling' for Darling (Richard Darling of Dublin), and 'Bar' for Barry (Richard Barry). Methinks I see the four loggerheads sitting in consult, like Smectimnius, each gravely contributing a part of his own name, to make up one for their place in the iron-work; and could wish they had been hanged, as well as undone, for their wit."

Meanwhile, wiki notes that:
The earliest name recorded for the village was Sra-na-muck which means "The River-field of the pigs". The current official Irish name An Muileann Iarainn meaning 'Iron Mill' reflects the foundation of an ironworks in the town in 1700.

And Swift's typically humourous, if unsparing, comment was included in an essay of his entitled: "On Barbarous Denominations", which might be better referenced in the "Irish placenames that might make you snigger" thread:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=JC4CAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA147&lpg=PA147&dq=%22on+barbarous+denominations+in+ireland%22&source=web&ots=2wLJ_Vb7Az&sig=Wkjr3s91-eKvf2L0gzAL3XVu2XE&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22on%20barbarous%20denominations%20in%20ireland%22&f=false

I didnt know that about Swad, interesting.

Thank you for that, I didn't think there was an Irish root to it, just a name that always sounded nice.  On a side note, not only are townland names in Irish often beautiful or interesting,  there's so much lore attached to fields and boreens with names attaching people or events, and over time, all that's left is the name, and I'm sure so many of those get lost in time too.
It's a fascinating subject,  if one could make the time to look into it.

Harold Disgracey

Quote from: omochain on May 21, 2020, 05:58:41 AM
Dernoose

With a name like O Mochain, I would guess you're from round that direction.

omochain

Yes... ;).. but they chased me away in 1969.. and I have been missing the Stoney Gray Hills ever since.

Fear Bun Na Sceilpe


Orior

Quote from: omochain on May 21, 2020, 10:40:51 PM
Yes... ;).. but they chased me away in 1969.. and I have been missing the Stoney Gray Hills ever since.

I heard that as part of the GFA your exclusion order was lifted. Has nobody told you?
Cover me in chocolate and feed me to the lesbians

omochain

#27
What's the GFA... ;)

Eamonnca1

Keady
Derrynoose
Dungannon
Dungiven
Clontibret
Tyrconnell / Donegal

Lar Naparka

Quote from: Fear Bun Na Sceilpe on May 21, 2020, 11:40:21 PM
As the song goes- Gortahork and Glenamaddy
"I have been to many strange places,
To the lands of the Greek and the Turk.
But some folks will bet
I ain't seen nothing yet
'Til I land me in old Gortahork."
Nil Carborundum Illegitemi