Corpas

Dinnseanchas.

The knowledge of the Irish forms of place-names
is, in most Irish-speaking districts, very local.  It is 
doubtful if more than four are known universally - 
viz., Baile Átha Cliath, Cill Dara, Corcaigh and
Gaillimh.  To these may perhaps be added Luimneach.
Portláirge comes very near being universal, but it 
does no appear to be known in Co. Donegal.  All
this localism is due to the isolation of the Irish-
speaking communities from one another, in some 
cases for centuries.  Pobably the Omeath people
have the most extended knowledge of topography.
They seem to know the names of many large towns
<L 157>
in three of the provinces - Leinster, Ulster and Con-
nacht, but their knowledge does not seem to compre-
hend much of Munster.  At the present time there is
scarcely a large town in Ireland in which a native of 
Omeath is not settled as either a fish-dealer or an
oyster-seller, and it would appear that these callings
have been followed for generations.  In former times
many of them were accustomed to traverse the
country, when Irish was generally spoken, as itinerant
fish-dealers; hence, probably, the present knowledge
of the Irish forms of many names of places far from 
Omeath.  The following, hastily jotted down from 
two natives of Omeath, will, in part, bear out the
above: - 

Ulster.

Caisleán na hIreannaighe, Greencastle, Co. Down,
on Carlingford Lough.
Báigh a'mhuillinn, Mill Bay, Co. Down.
Port na peireadh (or peiridh), Portaferry, Co. Down.
Árdghluis, Ardglass, Co. Down.
Caisleán Nua, Newcastle, Co. Down.
Caisleán Bhuillin, Castlewellan, Co. Down.
Cill a'Chaoil, Kilkeel, Co. Down.
Droichead Mhuigheó, Mayo Bridge, Co. Down.
Tar-re-gaoith (for Tóin-re-gaoith), Tanderagee, Co.
Armagh.
Port a'dúnáin, Portadown.
Pas a'phuinte, Poyntzpass, Co. Armagh.
Baile Mónadh, Ballymoney.
Loch Briclionn (for Bricreann), Loughbrickland,
Co. Down. 
Mullach Ráth' Fraoileáin, Rathfriland, Co. Down.
Lios na gcearrbhach, Lisburn.
Bail' Í Gáiligh, Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone.
Dún Gheanainn, Dungannon.
A' t-Uisge Dubh, Blackwater.
Ach' na cloiche, Aughnacloy.
Cluain Eis, Clones.
An Ómuigh, Omagh.
A' Strath Bán, Strabane.
Doire, Derry.
Loch Guiligh, Loughgilly, Co. Armagh.
Seipeál a'Mheagha, Meigh, Co. Armagh.
Cabhán Mór, Cavan.
Toirbeart, Baile 'n Toirbeart, Belturbet, Co. Cavan.
Also Tairbeart (Tarbart) and Baile Tairbeart.
Muineachán, Monaghan.
Tigheanán, Tynan, Co. Armagh.
Loch gCáil, Loughgall, Co. Armagh.
Droichead na Banna, Banbridge.
Inis Ceitleann, Enniskillen; tl assimilated
to ll.
Fuirceáil, Forkhill, Co. Armagh; gen. -eála.
Cnoc a'mhullaigh, Hilltown, Co. Down.
Snámh a' Chaoil, Narrow Water.
Bád a' Chaoil, Narrow Water.
Áth na Long, Annalong, Co. Down.
Na Sgarbhátha, Scarva.  (Gen. case?)
Baile an Chláir, Jonesborough, Co. Armagh.

Leinster.

Grianphort, Greenmore; Puinte and Ghrianphuirt,
Greenore Point.  (Greenore probably = Grön-öre,
the Danes substituting grön, green, for grian,
and öre, a sandy beach, for port.  Grianphort
= sunny port or landing-place, is a good descrip-
tion of the place, as Greenore is exposed to the 
sun from every side.)

Loch Cáirlinn, Carlingford Lough.
Barra Cháirlinn, the Carlingford Mountains.
Baile an Chaorthainn, Lordship, Co. Louth.
Baile hEinicin, Jenkinstown, Co. Louth.
Cnoc na Sligeán, Jenkinstown, Co. Louth.
Baile Nua, Riverstown, Co. Louth.
Baile Uí Eoghanáin, Ballyoonan, Omeath.
Baile na Sgidheóg, Bush, Co. Louth.
Cuimin Cháirlinn, Commons of Carlingford.
Tobar Sain Siaim, St. James' Well, Co. Louth.
Baile Faoite, Whitestown, Co. Louth.
Baile na Lurgnach, Bellurgan, Co. Louth.
Baile an Dreoláin, Ballinran, Co. Louth.
Móta Ghráinn' Óige, An Móta, Moate.
Baile Mhic Cealáid, Ballymakellett, Co. Louth, 
Baile Átha Buidhe, Athboy.
Droichead Áha, An Droichead, Drogheda.
Nuaimh, Navan.
Ceannadas, Kells.
Currach Chill-dara, the Curragh of Kildare.
Baile na gcailleach, Bellewstown, Co. Meath.
Ceatharlach, Carlow.
Eanasgórtha (for Inis Córtha), Enniscorthy. (Cf.
Eanascaoin for Inis Caoin, Co. Monaghan.)
Móin Éile, the Bog of Allen.
Na Creacacha Dubha, Blackrock, near Dundalk.
Bail'Sláinge, Slane.
Cill Choinnigh, Kilkenny.
Dúnléire, Dunleer.
Baile Átha Fhirdiadh, Ardee.

Connacht.

Gaillimh, Galway.
Caisleán a'Bharra, Castlebar.
Baile an Átha, Ballina.
Baile Átha an Luain, Athlone.
Bail' Loch' Riach, Loughrea.
Sligeach, Sligo.
Cill Alla, Killala.  Also Cionn Alla.
Ros Comáin, Roscommon.
A Caisleán Riabhach, Castlerea.

Munster.

Corcaigh, Cork.
Portláirce, Waterford.
Tiobraid Árann, Tipperary.
Cionntsáile, Kinsale.
Luimneach, Limerick.

These by no means exhaust the list, as such places
as Árd-Mhacha, Armagh; An Céideadh, Keady; Baile
Úr, Newtownhamilton; An t-Iubhar, Newry; A'Púinte,
Warrenpoint, &c., are mentioned almost daily.  There
are many other names of large towns, like Ballinasloe,
&c., the Irish of which was not asked for at the time;
no doubt the Omeath People have the Irish forms of 
these also.

<L 158>
NOTES AND QUERIES.

(444).  Is diocair, na focail úd l-smuigh, l-stíos,
l-stoir, l-stuaidh, l-steas, l-stiar, l-stigh, l-stall, 
l-stuas do réidhteach 'sa' cheart.  Dubhart-sa le déi-
dheanaighe rud ná féadaim a rádh nídh-sa-mhó.  Do réir
mo chuimhne, do mheasas gur'b é rud d'airigheas 'san
Mhumhain, go háirithe i Béara, má's cuimhin liom i
gceart é, "leasmuigh," "leastuaidh", "leastuas," 7c. 
Do bhíos ar cuairt i Baile Mhúirne le fíor-dhéidhean-
aighe, ámh, agus ní túisge bhíos ann 'ná do chuala "lastuaidh,"
"lastall", "lastuas", "lasmuigh", 7c.  Do chuir sin
iongnadh orm, agus do chromas ar chaint le Tadhg Ó Donn-
chudha mar ghioll air.  Dubhairt seisean gur airigh sé
"leastuaidh," "leastoir", agus a leithéidí go minic, agus
"leath-is-tuaidh," "leath-is-toir", comh maith céadna,
nídh do chuir árd-iongnadh tar meodhan orm.  AGus mar
bhárr ar gach iongantas tá "leath-thuaidh", "leath-thoir"
agus a leithéidí ar fághail is na leabhraibh!  Is dóigh liom,
ámh, gur cumasg nó cur tré n-a chéile atá anois ann
.i. "leath amuigh", "leath is amuigh," agus "allamuigh,"
"leath istigh", agus "allastigh," "leath-thoir", "leath-is-
toir" agus "allathoir," 7c., d'á gcur tré n-a chéile.
Bhí lán an chirt ag Séamus Ó Dubhghaill, 'pé sgéal é. - 
S.L.

(445).  Ba dual dó sin, that was natural to him, that
was a peculiarity inherited by him, &c., is a phrase
known to many.  Dúthchas comes very near dual in
meaning, and is used in the same construction: ba
dúthchas dó sin, in this, however, with some difference
of sense.  But righ sin 'sa' dúthchas aige (Donegal) is an
equivalent of ba dual dó sin.
Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926

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