Irish Place Names

Place Names of Ireland

List of Irish Place Names.

Irish History.

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Name.
County.
Meaning.
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Kanturk Co Cork Ceann-tuirc [Kanturk], F. M., the boar's head or hill; from the hill near the town.
Keadew   Keady; Ceide [Keady], a hill level and smooth at top.
Keale   Keel; Caol, narrow; a narrow place, valley, or river.
Keeloge   Keeloges; Caelog, a narrow stripe or ridge.
Keelty   Coillte [Coiltha], woods, from coill.
Keenagh   Keenaghan; a mossy place (eacnach, moss).
Keenaght Co Derry Barony in Londonderry. The descendants of Cian [Kean], son of Olioll Olum (see Connello), were called Cianachta [Keenaghta], i. e. the race of Cian. The 0'Conors of Glengiven, who were a portion of this tribe, possessed the barony of Keenaght, and gave it its name.
Keimaneigh   Pass of, in Cork; Ceim-an-fhiaigh [Kame-an-ee], the pass of the deer (fiadh).
Kenmare   Ceann-mara, the head of the sea (muir), i. e, the highest point reached by the tide in a river. See Kinvarra and Kinsale
Kerry   The descendants of Ciar [Keer : see Connemara] were called Ciarraidhe [Keery : Book of R.], i. e. the race of Ciar; they possessed the territory lying west of Abbeyfeale, which was called from them Ciarraighe, and ultimately gave name to the whole county.
Kesh Co Fermanagh Ceis [Kesh], a wickerwork causeway.
Keshcarrigan Co Leitrim The wickerwork causeway of the little rock.
Kilbaha   Coill-beithe, birch wood.
Kilbarron Co Donegal St. Barron's church.
Kilbarry Co Waterford And Cork; from St. Finbar. See Cork and Gougane Barra.
Kilbeg   Small church or wood.
Kilbeggan   Beccan's church.
Kilbeheny   Coill-beithne [Kilbehena], F. M., birch wood.
Kilbreedy   Cill-Bhrighde, St. Brigid's church.
Kilbride   The same as Kilbreedy.
Kilbroney Co Down Church of St Bronagh, a virgin saint.
Kilcarragh Co Kerry And Waterford; the church of St. Carthach [Caurha] of Lismore.
Kilcavan Co Wexford Church dedicated to St. Kevin of Glendalough.
Kilcleagh   And Kilclay ; same as next name.
Kilclief Co Down Cill-cleithe [Kilcleha], the hurdle church (cliath). The original church was constructed of hurdles, after the early Irish fashion.
Kilcolman   St. Colman's church.
Kilcommon   St. Coman's church.
Kilcullen   Cill-cuillinn, the church of the holly.
Kildalkey Co Meath Written in an Irish charter in the Book of Kells, Cill-Delga, Delga's church.
Kildare Co Kildare According to Animosus, St. Brigid built her little cell here under a very high oak tree; and hence it was called Cill-dara, which the same writer translates Cella quercus, the cell or church of the oak.
Kildimo Co Limerick St. Dima's church.
Kildorrery Co Cork Cill-dairbhre [Kildarrery], the church of the oaks. See Darraragh.
Kildrought Co Kildare See Celbridge.
Kilduff   Black church or wood.
Kilfinnane Co Limerick The church of St. Finan. See Ardfinnan.
Kilfithmone Co Tipperary The church of the wood of the bog (fidh and moin).
Kilflyn   Flann's church.
Kilgarriff   Kilgarve; rough wood.
Kilgarvan   St. Garbhan's or Garvan's church.
Kilkee Co Clare St. Caeidhe's [Kee's] church.
Kilkeedy Co Clare And Limerick; St. Caeide's [Keedy's] church.
Kilkeel;   Narrow church.
Kilkenny   Cill-Chainnigh [Kilkenny], F.M., the church of St. Cainneach, or Canice, who died in the year 598. See Aghaboe.
Killadysart   The church of the desert or hermitage.
Killaloe Co Clare And Kilkenny; Cill-Dalua [Killaloo d aspirated-see p. 2], the church of St. Dalua or Molua, who flourished in the sixth century.
Killanummery Co Leitrim Cill-an-iomaire [ummera], F. M., the church of the ridge.
Killarney   Cill-airne, the church of the sloes.
Killashandra Co Cavan The original church was built within the enclosure of a rath or fort which still partly exists; hence Cill-a'-sean-ratha [Killashanraha], the church of the old rath.
Killashee Co Kildare Cill-ausaille, the church of St. Ausaille or Auxilius, a contemporary of St. Patrick.
Killashee Co Longford Is probably the church of the sidh or fairy hill.
Killaspugbrone Co Sligo Near Sligo. In the Book of Armagh it is stated that St. Patrick built a church at Cassel Irra for his disciple Bron or Bronus, who became bishop of Cuil Irra, the peninsula lying south-west of Sligo: hence the place was called Cill-easpuig-Broin, F. M., the church of bishop Bronus (easpug, a bishop).
Killaspuglonane Co Clare Cill-easpuig-Fhlannain, F. M., the church of bishop Flannan.
Killawillin Co Cork Cill-a'-mhuilinn, the church of the mill.
Killeany Co Clare And Galway; the church of St. Eany or Endeus of Aran, who flourished in the fifth century
Killeedy Co Limerick The church of the virgin saint Ita or Ide, who founded a nunnery here in the early part of the sixth century. See Kilmeedy.
Killeen   The name of more than 80 townlands; nearly all from Cillin a little church; but a few from Coillin, a little wood.
Killeentierna Co Kerry Tighernach's [Tierna's] little church.
Killeigh County Offaly In King's County; Cill-achaidh [Killahy], F. M., the church of the field.
Killenaule Co Tipperary The church of St. Naile [Nawly] or Natalis.
Killery harbour   In Connemara corrupted by a change of l to r (see p. 3), from Cael-shaile [Keelhaly], narrow sea-inlet; but the full name is Cael-shaile-ruadh, F. M., the reddish (ruadh) narrow sea-inlet.
Killevy Co Armagh Or Killeavy in Armagh; called, from its proximity to Slieve Gullion, Cill-shleibhe [Killeva], F. M., the church of the sliabh or mountain.
Killiney Co Dublin; Corrupted from Cill-inghen [Killineen]; full name Cill-inghen-Leinin, the church of the daughters of Leinin.
Killiney Co Kerry The same as Killeany.
Killisk   Killiskey; the church of the water (uisge).
Killoe   Cill-eo, O'C. Cal., the church of the yews
Killure   Cill-iubhair, the church of the yew.
Killursa   Cill-Fhursa, the church of St. Fursa, who flourished in the sixth century.
Killybegs   Cealla-beaga, F. M., little churches.
Killygorden

Co Donegal

 Coill-na-gcuiridin [Kilnagurridin], F. M., the wood of the parsnips.
Killyon   The church of St. Liadhan [Leean] or Liedania, mother of St. Ciaran of Ossory. See Seirkieran.
Kilmacanoge Co Wicklow The church of St. Mochonog, one of the primitive Irish saints.
Kilmacrenan    
Kalmallock Co Limerick Cill-Mocheallog [Kilmohelog], the church of St. Mocheallog, who flourished in the beginning of the seventh century.
Kilmanagh Co Kilkenny Cill-manach (Mart. Taml.), the church of the monks.
Kilmeedy   The church of St. Mide, or Ite; for both arethe same name. See Killeedy
Kilmihil   The church of St. Michael the Archangel.
Kilmore   There are about 80 parishes and townlands of this name, most of them signifying great church, some great wood (cill and coill).
Kilmurry   There are more than fifty places of this name, which were all so called from places dedicated to the Blessed Virgin : Cill-Mhuire, Mary's church.
Kilnaleck   The wood of the flag-surfaced land.
Kilnamanagh Co Tipperary Coill-na-manach, F. M., the wood of the monks.
Kilnamona   The church of the bog (moin).
Kilpatrick   St. Patrick's church.
Kilquane   Cill-Chuain, St. Cuan's church.
Kilroot Co Antrim Cill-ruadh, F. M., red church.
Kilrush   The church of the wood or peninsula.
Kilskeer Co Meath The church of the virgin saint Scire, who flourished in the sixth century.
Kiltenanlea Co Clare Cill-tSenain-leith, the church of St. Senan the hoary.
Kiltullagh Co Roscommon Cill-tullaigh, the church of the hill.
Kiltybegs   Coillte-beaga, little woods.
Kilwatermoy Co Waterford; Water is here a corruption of uachtar, upper: the church of the upper plain.
Kinalea Co Cork Barony of, Cinel-Aedha [Kinel-Ay], O'Dugan, the descendants of Aedh or Hugh, who was the father of Failbhe-Flann, king of Munster in A.D. 636.
Kinalmeaky Co Cork Barony of, Cinel-mBece [Kinel-mecka], O'Dugan, the descendants of Bece, the ancestor of the O'Mahonys.
Kinard;   Ceann-ard, high head or hill.
Kinawley Co Fermanagh Cill-Naile [Kilnawly, which , would have been the correct anglicised form], O'C. Cal., the church of St. Naile or Natalis, who died in A.D. 564.
Kincon   The hound's head (ceann and cu).
Kincora   At Killaloe, the site of Brian Bora's palace, took its name from an ancient weir across the Shannon; Ceann-coradh [Kancora], F. M., the head or hill of the weir.
Kinneigh   Kinnea; Ceann-ech, F. M., the horse's head or hill.
Kinnitty Cio Offaly In King's County; Ceann-Eitigh [Kan-Etty], Etech's head; so called, according to a gloss in the Felire of Aengus, because the head of Etech, an ancient Irish princess, was buried there.
Kinsale   Kinsaley; Ceann-saile, the head of the brine, i. e. the highest point to which the tide rises in a river. See Kenmare
Kinure   Ceann-iubhair, the head of the yew.
Kinvarra Co Galway Ceann-mhara, F. M., the head of the sea. See Kenmare.
Knappagh   Cnapach, a place full of cnaps or round hillocks.
Knock   Cnoc, a hill.
Knockacullen   The hill of the holly.
Knockaderry   The hill of the oak wood.
Knockagh   Cnocach, a hilly place.
Knockainy Co Limerick The hill of Aim or Amy, a celebrated banshee.
Knockalisheen   The hill of the little lis or fort.
Knockalough   The hill of the lake.
Knockane,   Knockaun; little hill.
Knockanglass   Knockaneglass; green little hill.
Knockanree    
Knockanroe   Knockaneroe, Knockaunroe; red little hill.
Knockanure   Cnoc-an-iubhair, yew hill.
Knockatemple   The hill of the temple or church.
Knockatarriv   Knockatarry, Knockaterriff; Cnoc-a'-tairbh, the hill of the bull.
Knockatober   The hill of the well
Knockatoor   The hill of the tuar or bleach green
Knockatotaun   Cnoc-a'-teotain, the hill of the burning or conflagration.
Knockaunbaun   White little hill.
Knockavilla   Knockaville; the hill of the bile or old tree.
Knockavoe Co Derry Near Strabane; Cnoc-Buidhbh [Knockboov], F, M., the hill of Bove Derg, a legendary Tuatha De Danann chief.
Knockbane   Knockbaun; white hill.
Knockboy   Cnoc-buidhe, yellow hill.
Knockbrack   Cnoc-breac, speckled hill.
Knockcroghery Co Roscommon The hill of the crochaire or hangman : it was a place of execution.
Knockdoo    
Knockeen Little hill. Knockfierna in Limerick; Cnoc-firinne, the hill of truth, or of truthful prediction; for it serves as a weather glass to the people of the circumjacent plains, who can predict whether the day will be wet or dry by the appearance of the summit in the morning.
Knockglass   Cnoc-glas, green hill.
Knockgorm   Cnoc-gorm, blue hill.
Knocklayd Co Antrim Called from its shape Cnoc-leithid [lehid], the hill of breadth, i. e. broad hill.
Knocklofty Co Tipperary Cnoc-lochta, the lofted or shelving hill.
Knocklong Co Limerick Cnoc-luinge, the hill of the encampment; for Cormac mac Art encamped with his army, on this hill, when he invaded Munster in the third century
Knockmanagh   Middle hill.
Knockmealdown mountains   Cnoc-Maeldomhnaigh, Maeldowney's hill.
Knockmore   Great hill.
Knockmoyle   Cnoc-mael, bald or bare hill.
Knockmullin   The hill of the mill.
Knocknaboley   Knocknabooly; the hill of the booley or dairy place.
Knocknacrohy   Cnoc-na-croiche, the hill of the gallows; a place of execution.
Knocknagapple   Knocknagappul; Cnoc na-gcapall, the hill of the horses.
Knocknagaul Co Limerick The hill of the Galls or foreigners.
Knocknageeha   The hill of the wind (gaeth).
Knocknagin   Cnoc-na-gceann [na-gan], the hill of the heads; a place of execution.
Knocknaglogh   The hill of the stones (cloch)
Knocknagore   The hill of the goats (gabhar).
Knocknahorna   The hill of the barley (eorna).
Knocknamona   The hill of the bog.
Knocknamuck   The hill of the pigs.
Knocknarea Co Sligo The hill of the executions. See Ardnarea.
Knocknaskagh   Knocknaskeagh; the hill of the sceachs or white thorn bushes.
Knockninny   A hill in Fermanagh, which gives name to a barony; Cnoc-Ninnidh [Ninny], the hill of St. Ninnidh, who was a contemporary of St. Columba.
Knockpatrick   Patrick's hill.
Knockraha   Knockrath, Knocknaraha; the hill of the rath or fort.
Knockranny   Cnoc-raithnigh [rahnee], ferny hill.
Knockrawer   Knockramer, Knockrower, Knockrour; Cnoc-reamhar [rawer or rower], fat or thick hill.
Knockreagh   Grey hill.
Knockroe   Red hill.
Knockshanbally   The hill of the old town.
Knocksouna Co Limerick Near Kilmallock in Limerick; written in the Book of Lismore, Cnoc-Samhna [Souna], the hill of Samhuin [Sowan or Savin], the first of November, which was kept as a festival by the pagan Irish. See Origin and History of Irish Names of Places, p. 194.
Knocktemple   The hill of the temple or church.
Knocktopher Co Kilkenny  
Knoppoge,   Knappoge; a little hill. See Knappagh.
Kyle   About half the names partly or wholly formed from Kyle, are from Cill, a church; the other half from Coill, a wood.
Kylebeg   Small church or wood.
Kylemore   Generally great wood (coill); sometimes great church (cill). Kylemore (lake) near the Twelve Pins in Connemara, is Coill-mhor, great wood.

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