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

 

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

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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.
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