Dictionary of Irish Words.

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Irish Names | Irish Toasts | Irish Towns

Almost all the place names of Ireland in use today can be traced directly to the Gaelic language, many of them combine two or more such names, such as Slievenaboley 'Mountain of the summer pasture.' or Ballinaclogher 'Townland of the stone buildings.' Throughout our site we have attempted to display the Gaelic origin from which the name is derived.

If you intend to tour in Ireland we can thoroughly recommend a little book The Meaning of Irish Place Names by James O'Connell published by The Blackstaff Press Belfast. The book list 2,300 place names and a dictionary similar to the one below.

We have recently (March 2009) added a more extensive list here

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Abha.	Aw, ow, owen.	A river or stream.
Achadh.	Agh, agha, augh.	A field, land, plain.
Abhainn		A river; owen, avon, and in the end of words
Abhall	Owl, ool, or avel	An apple, an apple tree
Achadh		A field
Aenach	Enagh,	anciently signified any assembly of the people.
Aileach		A circular stone fort; ellagh, elly.
Aill..	Aile, aill, aul.	A cliff, rock.
Ãlt.	Alt	Wooded glen, mountain, ravine
Aireagal.	Arrigle, errigal.	Cell, small church, oratory.
Ãit.	Att, atti, atty.	Combines in place names, a place, locality.
Aiteann.	Attin, attina.	Gorse.
Är.	Aar, are, air.	Slaughter.
Airne	Arney	a sloe; army.
Aith		A kiln of any kind
Alt,		A height, a cliff, a glen side.
An,		Definite article.
Ar		Slaughter; are, aur, and air.
Ãrd.	Ar, ard, ards.	Hill, high, top, high ground.
Aonach.	Enagh, eanig, eena.	An assembly, or fair.
Ãth.	A, aha, ath.	A ford.
Aughna-fosker		(the field of slaughter).
Augh		Field.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Badhún.	Bawn	An enclosure, building surrounded by a fortification
Baile.	Bal, bally, vally.	Townland, village, town.
Bán.	Bane, baun, vaun.	White, fair.
Bárr.	Bar, barr, baur.	A top.
Beag.	Beg	Small.
Béal.	Bel, bell.	Ford mouth, mouth, approach.
Bealach.	Ballagh, vally.	Road, mountain pass, way, inlet.
Bealtaine.	Bedlam, beltany.	The month of May, Celtic May festival.
Bean.	Ban, mna.	Woman.
Beann.	Ban, ben, bin.	Point, headland, peak.
Beannachair.	Banagher, bangor.	Many peaks.
Beárna.	Barna, barnet, varna.	Gap, defile, chasm.
Beith.	Beagh, beha, behy.	Birch tree.
Bhuidhe		Yellow
Bile.	Bella, villa, villy.	Tree or grove sacred to the Celts.
Bó.	Bo, boe, moe.	Cow.
Both.	Bo, boe, ude.	Hut or tent.
Bóthar.	Batter, bober, voher.	Road, way.
Brugh.	Brough, bru, brugh.	Mansion, palace, fairy dwelling, fort.
Buaile.	Boley, boola, vooly.	An enclosure for milking cows.
Buidhe.	Boy, bwee.	Yellow.
Bun.	Bon, bun, bunn.	Bottom, foot.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Cairn	Cairn.	Mound of stones atop prehistorictomb.
Caiseal.	Cashel, castle.	Stone fort, stone building.
Caoin.	Kean, keen.	Gentle, smooth, pleasing.
Caol.	Keel, kil.	Narrow, slender.
Caora.	Keera, keeragh, nageeragh.	Sheep, ewe.
Capall.	Capple, cappul, gappul.	Horse.
Carn.	Carn, carna.	A heap, cairn.
Carnalbanagh		The Scotsman's grave
Carraig.	Carrick, carrig, carriga.	Rock, crag.
Cathair.	Caher, cahir.	City, court, principal church.
Ceann.	Kan, ken, kin.	A Head.
Ceapagh.	Cap, cappa, cappagh.	A Plot of tillage land, reclaimed land.
Ceathramhadh.	Carhoo, carrow, kerry.	A fourth, a quarter of land.
Céide.	Keadagh, keadew, keady.	A plateau, flat topped hill.
Cill.	Kil, kill.	A Church, churchyard, monastic cell.
Clachan.	Clochan.	Small group of dwellings, bee hive spaped hut.
Clann.	Clan, clann, clanna.	Children, sept, followers.
Clár.	Clar, clare.	A plain, flat country, level plain.
Cloch.	Clogh, clough, clohy.	A stone, stone castle.
Clochán.	Cloghan, cloghane, cloghaun.	A ruin, townland containing parish church, stepping stones.
Clochar.	Clogh, clogher.	Stone building, convent or church.
Clon.	Cluin, cloon,	Meadow.
Cloonbrone		Meadow of the mills stone
Cluain.	Clon, cloon, cloony.	A meadow, plain.
Cnoc.	Crock, knock.	Hill, mountain.
Coill.	Cull, kil, kyle.	Wood, grove.
Coinicéar.	Congykeare, conicar, nicker.	Rabbit warren.
Cora.	Cor, corra, curra.	A weir.
Corr.	Cor, corr, curr.	Conical hill, promontory.
Corrach.		March or low plain.
Corrie.		Circular hollow with steep sides.
Cos.	Cosh, cush, cuss.	Foot.
Crann.	Cran, crin nagran.	A Tree.
Crom.	Crom, croom, crum.	Bent, stooped, curved.
Croob.	Croob	Hoof.
Cros.	Cros, crush, crusha.	Cross roads, market place.
Cruack.	Crogh, croagh, croghan.	A heap, symerically shaped mountain.
CÚ	Con, cu, nagon.	A hound, fierce dog.
Cúil.	Col, cool, cul.	A corner, nook.
Cuirreach.	Curra, curragh, curry.	Moor, racecourse, march.
Cunga	Cuan	Isthmus or narrows.
Currach.	Curragh.	Small skin covered boat.
Cúm.	Coom, combe, coum.	A waist, valley, coomb.
Cumar.	Comber, cumber, cummer.	River, river confluence, river bed.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Daingean.	Dangan, dingle.	Stronghold, fortress.
Dearg.	Darrig, ders, derg.	Red.
Deasmhumha.	Desmond.	South Munster.?
Doire.	Der, derri, derry.	Oak grove or forest, oak tree.
Domhnach.	Don, donagh, dun.	Sunday, church.
Donn.	Don, donagh, dun.	Brown, brown haired.
Droichead.	Drehid, drohed, drohid.	Bridge, especially a stone bridge.
Drom.	Drim, drom, drum.	A back, ridge.
Duach	Doagh	Sand hill
Dubh.	Doo, duff, duv.	Black.
Dun.	Doon.	Fort.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Each.	Agh, augh, eigh.	Horse.
Eaglais.	Aglish, eglis, eglish.	Church.
Ennach.	Anna, annagh, anny.	Watery place, march.
Ennis.	Inch.	Island.
Eas.	Ass, assy, ess.	Waterfall, rapids.
Eo.	O, oe, yo.	Yew tree.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Fada.	Ad, ádda, fad.	Long.
Faill.	Fall, foil, foyle.	Cliff.
Faithche.	Faha, fahy, feigh.	Lawn, playing field, exercise area.
Fál.	Fal, falls.	Hedge, enclosure, pailing.
Fearnann.	Farm, farran, arran.	Land, ploughland.
Fearn.	Farn, farnagh, navern.	Alder tree.
Fiodh.	Fee, feigh, fi.	Tree, wood.
Fionn.	Fin, finn, inn.	White, fair, beautiful.
Fraogh.	Freagh, free, ree.	Heath, heather.

More extensive list here

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Gabha.	Gow, gown, gowan.	Smith.
Gabhal.	Gole, goole, goul.	Fork, junction, estuary.
Gall.	Gal. gall, gaul.	Foreigner.
Gaoth.	Gwee.	Inlet of the sea.
Garbh.	Garra, garriff, garve.	Rough, rugged.
Garrdha.	Gar, garra, garry.	Garden, enclosure.
Geal.	Gal, gil, gilly.	White, bright.
Glas.	Glas, glass, glash.	Green.
Gleann.	Glan, glen, glanna.	Glen, hollow.
Gort.	Gart, gort, gurt.	Tilled field
Gorm		Blue-black
Graig.	Grag, graigue, greg.	Village.
Grinnán.	Greenan, greenaun, grennan.	Summer dwelling.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Inis.	Inch, innis, innish, heensha.	Island,
Ìochttar	Eighter, eetra	Lower
Iubhur.	Ure, nure.	Yew tree, yew grove.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Keel	Kill, caol.	Narrow.
Knock		Hill

Irish.

Anglicised.

Meaning.

Ladhar. Lyre, lear. Fork of river.

Lag. Lag, lig, lug. Holow pool.

Lann. Lan, lann, lyn. A house, church.

Leaba. Labba, labby. A bed, grave.

Leac. Lack, leck, league. Hard surface, stone, toombstone, flagstone.

Leaca. Lacka, lackaun, leckan. Flat sloping surface, brow of a hill.

Leath Bhád Half boat

Leath Half

Léim. Leam, lem, lim. A leap.

Leitir. Letter, lattera, letteragh. Side of a hill, cliff, wet hillside.

Liag. Leg, legaun. A boulder, flat stone, pillerstone.

Liath. Lea, leagh. Grey, white.

Lismullin muilleóir Miller The fort of the mill

lios. Lis, lish, lassa. A ring fort, fairy rath.

Loch. Loch, lough, low. Lake, pool, sea inlet.

Long. Long. Ship.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Mac	Ma, mac, mack.	A son, decendant.
Machaire	Maghera, maghery, vaghera.	A plain, battlefield.
Magh.	Ma, may, moy.	A plain, battlefield.
Mám.	Mam, maam, maum.	A mountain pass, a summit.
Maoi	Meel	Smooth or blunt mountain.
Maol.	Meel, mweel, moyle.	Bauld, bare.
Mín.	Min, meen.	Smooth, gentle, fine pasture.
Móin.	Mona, mone, voone.	A Moor, peat bog.
Mol.	Mull.	Height.
Money	Muine [munny]	A shrubbery.
Mór.	Mor, nore, moore.	Great, big.
Mota	Moat.	A moat,
Muc.	Muc, muck, mucky.	Pig.
Muine	Money	A shrubbery
Muirisc	Murrisk	A sea side marsh
Mullaugh.	Mul, mullagh, mully.	Summit, height.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Nas	Naas	An assembly place
Nead		A bird's nest;
Nua.	New, moe.	New, recent.
Nure		Yew tree.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Oilean	Island	An island
Q, Ua,	O', y, ee.	A grandson, decendant.

Irish.	Anglicised.	Meaning.
Plica	Pooka,	A pooka or spright
Poll.	Foyle, poll, poul.	A hole, hollow.
Port.	Fort, port.	Shore, harbour, landing place.
Puca.	Puck, pooka, phuca.	Celtic mischievious sprite benign and not evil.

Irish.

Anglicised.

Meaning.

Ráth. Ra, rath, raha. A rath, fort, outer palisade.

Raithín. Raheen, raine, ramsy. Bracken.

Riabhach Reagh Grey

Rin. Reen, rin, ring. A point, promontory.

Ros. Ros, ross, rush. A wood, copse. A peninsula in the north.

Ruadh. Red, roe, rua. Russet, reddish brown.

Irish.

Anglicised.

Meaning.

Sagart. Saggart, taggart. A Priest.

Sawhaine

Sceach. Skea, skehy, skew. A thorn bush, whitethorn.

Scellig. Skellig. Crag, rock.

Sean. Shan, shanna. Old.

Seisleann. Seskin, sheskin. A marsh.

Skea Whitethorn

Sruaith Fhuil Shrule River of Blood

Sliabh. Sle, slieve, tlieve. A mountain, mountainous district, moorland.

Sliabh Crub Slieve Croob Mountain of the hoof.

Slighe. Slee. Road, way.

Sruth. Srue, srub, srough. Stream.

Stuaic Stook A pointed pinnacle

Struthar. Shruell, shrule, struell. Fast stream.

Irish.

Anglicised.

Meaning.

Tearmann. Termon. Church lands, sanctury.

Tigh. Ta, tee, ti. House, building.

Tír. Tir, tier. District, land.

Tobar. Tibret, tober, tubbrid. Well.

Tobernabrone Well of the quern.

Tor. Tor. Tower, mansion.

Torc. Torc, turc. Boar.

Tráigh. Tra, traw, tray. Strand, shore.

Tuar. Tore, toor, tour. Land, field, lea.

Tulach. Tullagh, tullow, tully. Small hill, mound.

Tullynagardy Hill of the garden.

Irish.

Anglicised.

Meaning.

Uachtar Oughter Upper

Ubhall. Aval, ool, owl. Orchard, an apple.

Uisce. Isk, iska, isky. Water.

Urchur Urcher A cast or throw