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Place names in Irish
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Many place names in Ireland in the English language are either anglicisations of those in the Irish language, or completely different, such as the name for the capital of Ireland, which in English is Dublin, but in Irish is Baile Átha Cliath. The former means black hole/pool (anglicised from dubh and linn) and the latter means town of the hurdle ford. After the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922, some names were changed including Kingstown in County Dublin, which was changed back to the original Dún Laoghaire ( by English speakers, and by Irish speakers) and Queenstown in County Cork reverted to Cóbh .

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Many place names in Ireland in the English language are either anglicisations of those in the Irish language, or completely different, such as the name for the capital of Ireland, which in English is Dublin, but in Irish is Baile Átha Cliath. The former means black hole/pool (anglicised from dubh and linn) and the latter means town of the hurdle ford. After the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922, some names were changed including Kingstown in County Dublin, which was changed back to the original Dún Laoghaire ( by English speakers, and by Irish speakers) and Queenstown in County Cork reverted to Cóbh . King's County and Queen's County were renamed County Offaly and County Laois respectively in 1921.
Pursuant to the Official Languages Act, 2003 and the advice of the Coimisiún Logainmneacha (Place-Names Commission), the statutory instrument 59 of 2005 Placenames (Centres of Population and Districts) Order 2005 was issued listing the equivalent in the Irish language of place-names specified in the Order with its English form. The Irish words then had the same meaning and same force and effect as the place-name. This order lists a little fewer than 2,000 place-names, many of which were changed from the Irish form used since independence, e.g. Bray went from Brí Chualann to Bré and Naas changed from Nás na Rí to An Nás.
In the Republic, both Irish and English names have equal status and are displayed on road and signs, although postmarks are only in Irish. In Northern Ireland, the new recognition of the status of the Irish language does not extend to bilingual roadsigns - it is down to individual district councils to decide to place them. Some towns in Fermanagh, Omagh, Moyle, Magherafelt, Newry and Mourne and Cookstown council areas also display bilingual names on some welcome signs (eg. "OMAGH" An Ómaigh).
The name of Ireland itself comes from the Irish name, Éire, affixed to the Germanic root, '-land'. According to mythology, Éire was an Irish goddess of sovereignty (see Ériu).
Etymology Common words found in Irish place names include:
- Agha- achadh - 'field' (e.g. Aghalee)
- Ard- ard - 'high' (e.g. Ardglass)
- Ath- áth - 'ford' (e.g. Athlone)
- Bally- baile - 'town' (e.g. Ballybay)
- Bally- bealach - 'way' (e.g. Ballyclare)
- -beg beag - 'small' (e.g. Killybegs)
- Bel- béal - 'mouth, i.e. mouth of a river' (e.g. Belfast)
- Ban-/Ben-/Bin- beann - 'peak or point' (e.g. Bangor)
- Bun- bun - 'bottom or mouth of river' (e.g. Bundoran)
- Capp- ceapach - 'plot or tillage' (e.g. Cappagh)
- Carn- cairn - heapor hill (e.g. Carnmoney)
- Carrow- ceathrú - 'quarter' (e.g. Carrowdore)
- Carry/Carrick/Carrig- carraig - 'rock' (e.g. Carrickfergus)
- Clon- cluain - 'meadow' (e.g. Clontibret)
- Coom- cúm - 'hollow'
- Cor- cor - 'small round hill' (e.g. Corblonog)
- Cul-/Cool- cúl - 'back' (e.g. Coolmine)
- Cul-/Cool- cuil - 'corner' (e.g. Coolock)
- Derry- doire - 'grove' (e.g. Derry)
- Dona- domhnach - 'church' (e.g. Donaghadee)
- Drohed- Droichead - 'bridge' (e.g. Drogheda)
- Drom-/Drum-/-drum Droim - 'ridge or hillock' (e.g. Dromore)
- Dun- dún - 'fort' (e.g. Dungannon)
- Ennis- Inis - 'island, strand or water meadow' (e.g. Enniskillen)
- Esk-/Eish- eiscir - 'Esker'
- Fin- fionn - 'clear or white' (e.g. Finglas)
- Glas- glas - 'stream' (e.g. Glasnevin)
- Glen- gleann - 'valley' (e.g. Glenties)
- Inish- inis - 'island, strand or water meadow' (e.g. Inishcrone)
- Kill-/Kil- cill - 'church' (e.g. Kildare) or coill - 'forest'
- Kil- coill - 'wood' (e.g. Kilmore)
- Knock- cnoc - 'hill' (e.g. Knockcloghrim)
- Letter- leitir - 'hillside' (e.g. Letterkenny)
- Lis- lios - 'ring fort' (e.g. Lisburn)
- Lough- loch - 'lake' (e.g. Loughgall)
- Maum- mám - 'mountain pass' (e.g. Maum)
- Magha-/Maga- machaire or maigh - 'plain' (e.g. Magherafelt)
- May-/Moy- má - 'plain' (e.g. Maynooth)
- -mona/-money móna or monaidh - 'turf' (e.g. Cornamona, Ballymoney
- Mulla-/Mala- mullach - 'summit' (e.g. Mullaghbane)
- Mullin- muileann - 'mill' (e.g. Mullingar)
- -more mor - 'big or large' (e.g. Tullamore)
- Poll-/Poul- poll - 'hole' (e.g. Poulaphouca)
- Port- port - 'stronghold' (e.g. Portlaoise) 'or landing place' (e.g. Portrush)
- Rath-/Rah- rath - 'fort' (e.g. Raheny)
- -roe rua(dh) - 'red' (e.g. An Ceathrú Rua)
- Ros(s)- ros - 'wood' (e.g. Rostrevor)
- Shan- sean - 'old' (e.g Shandon)
- Sheskin- Seiscenn - 'marsh, bog or quagmire' (e.g. Seskinore)
- Slieve- sliabh - 'mountain' (e.g. Slieve Donard)
- Termon- termon - 'church lands' or 'place of sanctury' (e.g. Termon)
- Tra- trá - 'beach or strand' (e.g. Tramore)
- Tuam- tuaim - 'burial mound' (e.g. Tuam)
- Tulla-/Tulra- tulach - 'hillock or mount' (e.g. Tullyhogue)
Names of provinces The four provinces (cúigí - singular: cúige) are known as:
- Connacht - Connacht(a) / Cúige Chonnacht - meaning "Conn's land"
- Munster - An Mhumhain / Cúige Mumhan - meaning "Land of Mumha's men"
- Leinster - Laighin / Cúige Laighean - meaning "Land of Broad Spears"
- Ulster - Ulaidh / Cúige Uladh - meaning "Land of Ulaid's men"
The word cúige originally meant 'a fifth', as in one-fifth part of Ireland, and comes from the fact that Meath, as seat of the High King of Ireland, was once a province in its own right, incorporating modern counties Meath, Westmeath and parts of surrounding counties. Meath was later absorbed into Leinster.
Names of counties Most of the counties were named after a town in that county, usually an administrative centre. Some of these towns, such as Louth, have declined into small villages or have lost their county town status to other towns. Counties not named after towns include County Fermanagh, County Kerry and County Westmeath.
The 32 counties (contaetha - singular: contae) of Ireland are known as:
- County Antrim - Aontroim / Co. Aontroma - meaning "Solitary Farm"
- County Armagh - Ard Mhacha / Co. Ard Mhacha - meaning "Macha's Height"
- County Carlow - Ceatharlach / Co. Cheatharlaigh - meaning "Abounding in cattle", not "four lakes" as some might assume
- County Cavan - An Cabhán / Co. an Chabháin - meaning "The Hollow"
- County Clare - An Clár / Co. an Chláir - meaning "Level Land"
- County Cork - Corcaigh / Co. Chorcaí - meaning "Marsh"
- County Donegal - Dún na nGall / Co. Dhún na nGall - meaning "Fort of the Foreigners" (Vikings) or Tír Chonaill / Co. Thír Chonaill - meaning "Conal's land"
- County Down - An Dún / Co. an Dúin - meaning "The Fort"
- County Dublin - Áth Cliath / Co. Átha Cliath - meaning "Town by the Hurdle ford"
- County Fermanagh - Fear Manach / Co. Fhear Manach - meaning "Men (tribe) of Monach"
- County Galway - Gaillimh / Co. na Gaillimhe - meaning "Rocky/Stony River"
- County Kerry - Ciarraí / Co. Chiarraí - the descendants of (tribe) of Ciar
- County Kildare - Cill Dara / Co. Chill Dara - meaning "Church by the Oak"
- County Kilkenny - Cill Chainnigh / Co. Chill Chainnigh - meaning "Canice's Church"
- County Laois - Laois / Co. Laoise - named after Lughaidh Laeighseach, a chieftain
- County Leitrim - Liatroim / Co. Liatroma - meaning "Grey Ridge"
- County Limerick - Luimneach / Co. Luimnigh - meaning "Bare Land"
- County Londonderry - Doire / Co. Dhoire - meaning "Oak Wood"
- County Longford - Longfort / Co. Longfoirt - meaning "Fortress"
- County Louth - Lú / Co. Lú - originally Lughbhadh, which was named after the Celtic god Lugh. Does not mean "smallest".
- County Mayo - Maigh Eo / Co. Mhaigh Eo - meaning "Plain of the Yews"
- County Meath - An Mhí / Co. na Mí - meaning "Middle", because it was the middle province
- County Monaghan - Muineachán / Co. Mhuineacháin - meaning "Place of Thickets"
- County Offaly - Uibh Fhailí / Co. Uibh Fhailí - derived from "Ua Fáilghe" meaning "Descendants of Fáilghe"
- County Roscommon - Ros Comáin / Co. Ros Comáin - meaning "Corman's wood"
- County Sligo - Sligeach / Co. Shligigh - meaning "Shell-river"
- County Tipperary - Tiobraid Árainn / Co. Thiobraid Árainn - meaning "House of the Well of Ara"
- County Tyrone - Tír Eoghain / Co. Thír Eoghain - meaning "Eoghan's Land"
- County Waterford - Port Láirge / Co. Phort Láirge - "Waterford" comes from the Viking "Vadre fjord"
- County Westmeath - An Iarmhí / Co. na hIarmhí - the western part of the old Meath
- County Wexford - Loch Garman / Co. Loch Garman - "Wexford" comes from the Viking "Hvitar fjordr" meaning "white fjord". Loch Garman/Loch Gorman/Loch gCorman means Gorman's Lake
- County Wicklow - Cill Mhantáin / Co. Chill Mhantáin - meaning "Mantan's Church"; "Wicklow" comes from the Viking "Vikingarlo"
Names of cities
Names of towns
Names of streets and areas
Names of countries, states, provinces and cities outside Ireland Afghanistan - An Afganastáin
* Kabul - Cabúl
Albania - An Albáin
Algeria - An Ailgéir
* Algiers - Cathair na hAilgéire
Andorra - Andóra
Angola - Angóla
Antigua and Barbuda - Antigua agus Barbúda
Argentina - An Airgintín
Armenia - An Airméin
Australia - An Astráil
Austria - An Ostair
* Vienna - Vín
Azerbaijan - An Asarbaiseáin
Bahamas - Na Bahámaí
Bahrain - Bairéin
Bangladesh - An Bhangladéis
Barbados - Barbadós
Belarus - An Bhealarúis
* Minsk - Minsc
Belgium - An Bheilg
* Antwerp - Antuairp
* Brussels - An Bhruiséil
* Ostend - Ostainn
Belize - An Bheilís
Bhutan - An Bhútáin
Bolivia - An Bholaiv
Bosnia-Herzegovina - An Bhoisnia Heirseagaivéin
* Sarajevo - Sairéavó
Botswana - An Bhotsuáin
Brazil - An Bhrasaíl
Brunei - Brúiné
Bulgaria- An Bhulgáir
* Sofia - Sóifia
Burkina Faso - Buircíne Fasó
Burundi - An Bhurúin
Cambodia - An Chambóid
Cameroon - Camarún
Canada - Ceanada
* Newfoundland - Talamh an Éisc
* Nova Scotia - Alba Nua
* Quebec - Québec
** Montreal - Montréal
Cape Verde - Rinn Verde
Central African Republic - Poblacht na hAfraice Láir
Chad - Sead
Channel Islands - Oileáin Mhuir nIocht
Chile - An tSile
* Santiago - Saintiagó
China - An tSín
* Beijing - Béising
Colombia - An Cholóim
Comoros - Oileáin Chomóra
Congo - An Congó
* Kinshasa - Cinseasa
Côte d'Ivoire - An Cósta Eabhair
* Abidjan - Abaisean
Croatia - An Chróit
* Zagreb - Ságrab
Cuba - Cúba
Cyprus - An Chipir
* Lefkosia - An Leafcóis
Czech Republic - Poblacht na Seice
* Prague - Prág
Denmark - An Danmhairg
* Copenhagen - Cóbanhávan
Djibouti - Djibouti
Dominica - Dominica
Dominican Republic - An Phoblacht Dhoiminiceach
East Timor - Tíomór Thoir
Ecuador - Eacuadór
* Quito - Caíteo
El Salvador - An tSalvadóir
Egypt - An Éigipt
* Alexandra - Cathair Alastair
* Cairo - Caireo
* Luxor - Lucsar
* Suez - Suais
England - Sasana
* Bristol - Briostó
* Cornwall - Corn na Breataine
* Glastonbury - Glaistimbir / Glaistimbir na nGael / Gloineistir
* Liverpool - Learpholl
* London - Londain
* Manchester - Manchain
* Newcastle - An Caisleán Nua
* York - Eabhrac
Equatorial Guinea - An Ghuine Mheánchiorclach / An Ghuine Mheánchriosach
Eritrea - An Eiritré
Estonia - An Eastóin
Ethiopia - An Aetóip
* Addis Ababa - Adas Ababa
Faroe Islands - Oileáin Fharó
Fiji - Fidsí
Finland - An Fhionlainn
* Helsinki - Heilsincí
France - An Fhrainc
* Brittany- An Bhriotáin
* Paris - Páras
Gabon - An Ghabúin
Gambia - An Ghaimbia
Georgia - An tSeoirsia
Germany - An Ghearmáin
* Berlin - Beirlín
Ghana - Gána
Gibraltar - Giobráltar
Greece - An Ghréig
* Alexandroupoli - Deidéagait / Dedéagach
* Athens - An Aithin
* Mytilene - Mitiléine
* Piraeus - Piréas
Greenland - An Ghraonlainn
Grenada - Grenada
Guatemala - Guatamala
Guinea - An Ghuine
Guinea-Bissau - Guine Bhissau
Guyana - An Ghuáin
Haiti - Háití
Honduras - Hondúras
Hungary - An Ungáir
* Budapest - Búdaipeist
Iceland - An Íoslainn
* Reykjavík - Réicivíc
India - An Ind
* Bhopal - Bópal
* Delhi - Deilí
* Kolkata - Calcúta
* New Delhi - Nua-Deilí
Indonesia - An Indinéis
* Jakarta - Iacárta
Isle of Man - Oileán Mhanann
Israel - Iosrael
* Beersheba - Béar Seaba
* Jerusalem - Iarúsailéim
Iran - An Iaráin
* Susa - Súsa
Iraq - An Iaráic
* Baghdad - Bagdad
Ireland - Éire
Italy - An Iodáil
* Florence - Flórans
* Milan - Milano
* Pompeii - Poimpé
* Rome - An Róimh
* Venice - An Veinéis
Jamaica - Iamáice
Japan - An tSeapáin
* Kyoto - Kiótó
* Tokyo - Tóiceo
Jordan - An Iordáin
Kazakhstan - An Chasacstáin
Kenya - An Chéinia
Kiribati - Cireabaití
Korea - An Chóiré
Kosovo - An Chosaiv
Kuwait - Cuáit
Kyrgyzstan - An Chirgeastáin
Laos - Laos
Latvia - An Laitvia
* Riga - Ríge
Lebanon - An Liobáin
* Beirut - Béiriút
Lesotho - Leosóta
Liberia - An Libéir
Libya - An Libia
* Tripoli - Tripilí
Liechtenstein - Lichtinstéin
* Vaduz - Vadús
Lithuania - An Liotuáin
Luxembourg - Lucsamburg
Macedonia - An Mhacadóin
* Skopje - Scóipé
Madagascar - Madagascar
* Antananarivo - Antananairíveo
Malawi - An Mhaláiv
Malaysia - Malaeisia
Mali - Mailí
Maldives - Oileáin Mhaildíve
Mali - Mailí
Malta - Málta
* Valletta - Vaileite
Marshall Islands - Oileáin Marshall
Mauritania - An Mháratáin
Mauritius - Oileán Mhuirís
Mexico - Meicsiceo
* Mexico City - Cathair Mheicsiceo
Micronesia - An Mhicrinéis
Moldova - An Mholdóiv
* Chisinau - Cisineiv
Monaco - Monacó
Mongolia - An Mhongóil
* Ulaanbaatar - Ulánbátar
Morocco - Maracó
Montenegro - Montainéagró
Mozambique - Mósaimbíc
Myanmar - Maenmar
* Yangon - Rangún
Namibia - An Namaib
Nauru - Nárú
Nepal - Neipeal
Netherlands - An Ísiltír
* Amsterdam - Amstardam
* The Hague - An Háig
New Zealand - An Nua-Shéalainn
Nicaragua - Nicearagua
Niger - An Nígir
Nigeria - An Nigéir
* Abuja - Abúise
North Korea - An Chóiré Thuaidh
Northern Ireland (NI) - Tuaisceart Éireann (TÉ)
Norway - An Iorua
* Oslo - Osló
Oman - Oman
* Muscat - Muscáit
Pakistan - An Phacastáin
Palau - Oileáin Palau
Palestine - An Phalaistín
Panama - Panama
Paraguay - Paragua
* Asunción - Asúinseon
Peru - Peiriú
* Lima - Líoma
Philippines - Na hOileáin Fhilipíneacha
* Manila - Mainile
Poland - An Pholainn
* Warsaw - Vársá
Portugal - An Phortaingéil
* Lisbon - Liospóin
Qatar - Catar
Romania - An Rómáin
* Bucharest - Búcairist
Russia - An Rúis
* Astrakhan - An Astracháin
* Moscow - Moscó
* St. Petersburg - Cathair Pheadair
* Yakutsk - Iacútsc
Rwanda - Ruanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis - Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia - Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa - Samó
San Marino - San Mairíne
São Tomé and Príncipe - São Tomé agus Príncipe
Saudi Arabia - An Araib Shádach
Scotland - Albain
* Aberdeen - Obar Deathain
* Edinburgh - Dún Éideann
* Glasgow - Glaschú
* Inverness - Inbhear Nis
Senegal - An tSeineagáil
* Dakar - Dacár
Serbia - An tSeirbia
* Belgrade - Béalgrád
Seychelles - Na Séiséil
Sierra Leone - Siarra Leon
Singapore - Singeapór
Slovakia - An tSlóvaic
* Bratislava - An Bhratasláiv
Slovenia - An tSlóivéin
* Ljubljana - Liúibleána
Solomon Islands - Oileáin Sholamón
Somalia - An tSomáil
* Mogadishu - Mogaidisiú
Somaliland - Críoch Shomáile
South Africa - An Afraic Theas
* Cape Town - Kaapstad
South Korea - An Chóiré Theas
Spain - An Spáinn
* Madrid - Maidrid
Sri Lanka - Srí Lanka
Sudan - An tSúdáin
* Khartoum - Cartúm
Suriname - Suriname
Sweden - An tSualainn
* Stockholm - Stócólm
Switzerland - An Eilvéis
* Berne - Beirn
* Geneva - An Ghinéiv
Syria - An tSiria
* Damascus - Damaisc
Taiwan - An Téaváin
Tajikistan - An Táidsíceastáin
Tanzania - An Tansáin
* Dar es Salaam - Dárasalám
Thailand - An Téalainn
* Bangkok - Bancác
Togo - Tóga
Tonga - Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago - Oileán na Tríonóide agus Tobága
Tunisia - An Túinéis
* Carthage - An Chartaig
* Tunis - Túinis
Turkey - An Tuirc
* Istanbul - Iostanbúl
Turkmenistan - An Tuircméanastáin
Tuvalu - Tuvalu
Uganda - Uganda
Ukraine - An Úcráin
* Chernobyl - Searnóbail
* Kiev - Cív
United Arab Emirates - Aontas na nÉimíríochtaí Arabacha
United Kingdom (UK) - An Ríocht Aontaithe (RA)
United States (of America) (USA) - na Stáit Aontaithe (Mheiriceá) (SAM)
* Alaska - Alasca
* California - Caileafóirnia
** Sacramento - An tSacramento
* Hawaii - Habháí
* Massachusetts - Massachusetts
** Boston - Bostún
* New Mexico - Nua-Mheicsiceo
* New York - Nua-Eabhrac
** New York City - Nua-Eabhrac
* North Carolina - Carolina Thuaidh
* North Dakota - Dakota Thuaidh
* Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania
** Philadelphia - Filideilfia
* Rhode Island - Oileán Rhode
* South Carolina - Carolina Theas
* South Dakota - Dakota Theas
* Tennessee - Tennessee
** Memphis - Meimfís
* West Virginia - Virginia Thiar
Uruguay - Uragua
Uzbekistan - An Úisbéiceastáin
Vanuatu - Vanuatú
Vatican City - Cathair na Vatacáine
Venezuela - Veiniséala
Vietnam - Vítneam
* Hanoi - Hanáí
Wales - An Bhreatain Bheag (lit. Little Britain)
* Cardiff - Caerdydd
Western Sahara - An Sahára Thiar
Yemen - An Éimin
Zambia - An tSaimbia
Zimbabwe - An tSiombáib
Names of continents Africa - An Afraic
Asia - An Áise
Australasia - Mór-Roinn na hAstráil
Europe - An Eoraip
*European Union - An tAontas Eorpach
North America - Meiriceá Thuaidh
South America - Meiriceá Theas
United Nations - Na Náisiúin Aontaithe
External links
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