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Name. |
County. |
Meaning. |
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Labba | Labby; Leaba [labba], a bed, a grave. | |
Labbasheeda | Co Clare | Leaba-Sioda, Sioda's or Sheedy's labba, bed, or grave. |
Labbamolaga | Co Cork | St. Molaga's grave. See Templemolaga. |
Lack | Leac [lack], a stone, a flag stone. | |
Lacka | The side of a hill. | |
Lackabane | Co Kerry | Lackabaun; white hill side. |
Lackagh | A place full of stones or flags. | |
Lackamore | Co Limerick | Great hill side |
Lackan | The same as Lacka: a hill side. | |
Lackandarragh | Co Wicklow | Lackendarragh; the hill side of the oaks. |
Lackareagh | Co Cork | Grey hill side (riabhach). |
Lackaroe | Co Tipperary | Red hill side (ruadh). |
Lackeen | A little rock or flag. | |
Lacken | The same as Lacka; a hill side. | |
Lag | Legg; a hollow; a hollow in a hill. | |
Lagan | A little hollow; sometimes it means a pillar stone (liagan). The river Lagan probably took its name from a little hollow on some part of its course. | |
Laghil | Laghile; Leamhchoill [Lavwhill], elm wood. | |
Laght | Leacht, a sepulchre or monument. | |
Laghy | A slough, a miry place. | |
Laharan | Leath-fhearann [Laharan], half land. | |
Lahard | Leath-ard, half height; a gentle hill. | |
Lahardan | Lahardane, Lahardaun; a gentle hill. | |
Lakyle | Leath-choill, half wood. | |
Lambay island | Co Dublin | Near Dublin; the latter part is Danish: Lamb-ey, i. e. lamb island. Its ancient Irish name was Rechru or Reachra; and the adjacent parish on the mainland was called from it, Port-Reachrann [Portrahern], the port or landing place of Reachra, which in the course of ages, has been softened down to the present name, Portraine. |
Laragh | Lauragh; Lathrach, the site of any thing. | |
Laraghbryan | Co Kildare | Bryan's house site. |
Largan | Leargan, the side or slope of a hill. | |
Largy | Leargaidh, same meaning as last. | |
Larne | Co Antrim | Latharna (Laharna : Book of L.), the district of Lathair [Laher], son of Hugony the great, monarch of Ireland before the Christian era. Until recently it was the name of a district which extended northwards towards Glenarm; and the town was then called Inver-an-Laharna, the river mouth of (the territory of) Larne, from its situation at the mouth of the Ollarbha or Larne Water. |
Latt | The same word as Laght. | |
Latteragh | Co Tipperary | Leatracha [Latraha], the plural of Leitir, a wet hill-side (see Letter). It is called in O'C. Cal., Letracha-Odhrain [Oran], Odhran's wet hill-slopes, from the patron, St. Odhran, who died in the year 548. |
Laughil | Leamhchoill [Lavwhill], elm wood. | |
Laune | River at Killarney; Leamhain, F M., elm; the elm-producing river. | |
Lavagh | Leamhach [Lavagh], a place producing elms. | |
Lavally | Leath-bhaile, half town or townland. | |
Lavey | Co Cavan | The same as Lavagh. |
Leagh | Liath [Leea], grey; a grey place. | |
Leam | Leim, a leap. | |
Leamlara | Co Cork | The mare's leap. |
Leamnamoyle | Co Fermanagh | The leap of the mael or hornless cow. |
Lear | The same as Lyre. | |
Lecale | Barony of, in Down; Leth-Chathail [Lecahil], F. M., Cathal's half. Cathal was a chief who flourished about the year 700, and in a division of territory, this district was assigned to him, and took his name. | |
Lecarrow | Leth-ceathramhadh [Lecarhoo], half quarter (of land). | |
Leck | The same as Lack. | |
Leckan, | Leckaun; the same as Lackan. | |
Leckpatrick | Patrick's flag-stone. | |
Leeg | Leek, Leeke; the same as Lack. | |
Legacurry | Legaghory; Lag-a-choire [curry], the hollow (lag} of the caldron or pit. | |
Lega | Legaun; the same as Lagan. | |
Legland | Same as Leighlin. D added : see p. 4. | |
Lehinch | Leith-innse, F. M., half island, i. e. a peninsula. | |
Leighlin | Co Carlow | Leith-ghlionn [Leh-lin], F. M., half glen ; from some peculiarity of formation in the little river bed. |
Leighmoney | Grey muine or shrubbery. | |
Leinster | In the third century before the Christian era, Labhradh Loingseach [Lavra Linshagh, Lavra the mariner], brought an army of Gauls from France to assist him in recovering the kingdom from his uncle, the usurper, Coffagh Cael Bra. These foreign soldiers used a kind of broad pointed spear, called laighen [layen]; and from this circumstance the province in which they settled, which had previously borne the name of Galian, was afterwards called Laighen, which is its present Irish name. The termination `ster', which has been added to the names of three of the provinces, is the Scandinavian or Danish stadr, a place. Laighien-ster (the place or province of Laighen) would be pronounced Laynster, which is the very name given in a state paper of 1515, and which naturally settled into the present form, Leinster. | |
Leitrim | Many Counties | The name of more than 40 townlands and villages; Liath-dhruim [Lee-drum], F. M., grey drum or ridge. |
Leixlip | A Danish name, meaning salmon leap (lax, a salmon), from the well-known cataract on the Liffey, still called Salmon leap, a little above the village. By Irish-Latin writers it is often called Saltus-salmonis (the leap of the salmon); and from this word saltus, a leap, the baronies of Salt in Kildare have taken their name | |
Lemanaghan | Co Offaly | In King's County; Liath-Manchain, F. M., St. Manchan's grey land. |
Lena | Leny; a wet meadow. | |
Lenamore | Great wet meadow. | |
Lerrig | Co Kerry | A kill side. See Largan. |
Letter | Leitir, a wet hill side. | |
Lettera | Letteragh, Lettery; wet hill-sides. See Latteragh. | |
Letterkenny | A shortened form of Letter-Cannanan, the O'Cannanans' hill-slope. The O'Cannanans, or as they now call themselves, Cannons, were anciently chiefs or kings of Tirconnell, till they ultimately sank under the power of the O'Donnells. | |
Lettermacaward | Co Donegal | Leitir-Mic-a'-bhaird, the hill slope of Mac Ward, or the bard's son. |
Lettermore | Great wet hill-side. | |
Lettermullan | Leitir-Meallain, F. M., Meallan's hill-slope. | |
Levally | The same as Lavally. | |
Leyny | The descendants of Luigh or Lewy, the son of Cormac Gaileng (see Gallen), were called Luighne [Leyny: O'Dugan], and they gave name to the barony of Leyny in Sligo (ne, descendants). | |
Lick | The same as Lack and Leck. | |
Lickbla | Co Westmeath | Shortened from Liag-Bladhma [Leeg-Blawma], F. M., the flag-stone of Bladh [Blaw], a man's name. See Slieve Bloom. |
Lickeen | Little flag-stone. | |
Lickfinn | Co Tipperary; white flag-stone. | |
Lickmolassy | Co Galway | St. Malaise's [Molasha's] flagstone. |
Lickoran | The flag of the cold spring (uaran). | |
Limerick | Corrupted from the Irish form Luimnech [Liminagh], F. M., by a change of n to r (see p. 3): the name signifies a bare spot of land, from lom, bare. | |
Lis | Liss; Lios, a circular earthen fort. | |
Lisalbanagh | The Albanagh's or Scotchman's fort. | |
Lisanisk | Lisanisky; the fort of the water (uisge). | |
Lisbane | Lisbaun; white lis or fort. | |
Lisbellaw | Lios-bel-atha, the lis of the ford-mouth. | |
Lisboy | Yellow fort; probably from furze blossoms. | |
Liscannor | Co Clare | Canar's fort. |
Liscarroll | Co Cork; Cearbhall's or Carroll's fort. | |
Liscartan | The fort of the forge (ceardcha). | |
Lisdoonvarna | Co Clare | Takes its name from a large fort on the right of the road as you go from Ballyvaghan to Ennistymon. The proper name of this is Dun-bhearnach [Doonvarna], gapped fort (see Barna), from its shape; and the word Lis was added, somewhat in the same manner as " river" in the expression " the river Liffey:" Lisdoonvarna, i. e. the lis (of) Doonvarna. |
Lisdowney | Co Kilkenny | Downey's fort. |
Lisduff | Lisdoo; Lios-dubh, black fort. | |
Lisheen | Little lis or fort. | |
Lislea | Lios-liath [lee], grey fort. | |
Lislevane | Co Cork | Lios-leamhain, elm fort. |
Lismore | Great fort. Lismore in Waterford received its name from the lis or entrenchment built by St. Carthach [Caurhagh] round his religious establishment. It was previously called Magh-sciath [Maskee], the plain of the shield. See Origin and History of Irish Names of Places, p. 261. | |
Lismoyle | Lios-mael, bald or dilapidated fort. | |
Lismullin; | The fort of the mill. | |
Lisnagat; | Lios-na-gcat, the fort of the (wild) cats | |
Lisnageeragh | The fort of the sheep (caera}. | |
Lisnalee | The fort of the calves (laegh). See p. 2. | |
Lisnamuck | The lis or fort of the pigs. | |
Lisnaskea | Co Fermanagh; the fort of the sceach or whitethorn tree. It took its name from the celebrated Sceach-ghabhra [Skagowra], under which the Maguire used to be inaugurated. | |
Lisnisk | Lisnisky; the fort of the water. | |
Lissan | Lissane; little lis or fort. | |
Lissaniska | Lissanisky; the fort of the water. | |
Lissaphuca | The fort of the pooka or spright. | |
Lissard; | High fort. | |
Listowel | Lios-Tuathail [Lis-Thoohil], Tuathal's fort. | |
Lissonuffy | Co Roscommon | Lios-0-nDubhthaigh [Lisonuffy], F. M., the fort of the O'Duffys. |
Lixnaw | Co Kerry | Lic-Snamha [Snawa], F. M., the flag-stone of the swimming (snamh). See Drumsna. |
Loughill | Loughil; Leamhchoill [Lavwhill], elm wood. | |
Londonderry | Its most ancient name, according to all our authorities, was Doire-Chalgaich[Derry-Calgagh], the derry or oak wood of Calgach or Galgacus. In the tenth or eleventh century it began to be called Derry-Columcille, in honour of St. Columkille, who founded his monastery there in 546; and this name continued to the time of James I., whose charter, granted to a company of London merchants, imposed the name of Londonderry. | |
Longfield | In almost all cases a corruption of Leamh-choill [Lavwhill], elm wood | |
Longford; | Longphort [Longfort], a fortress. The town of Longford is called in the Annals Longford O'Farrell, from a castle of the O'Farrells, the ancient proprietors. | |
Loop Head | Co Clare; | A Danish modification of Leap Head; Irish Leim-Chonchuillinn [Leam-Conhullin], F. M., Cuchullin's leap. For legend see Origin and History of Irish Names of Places, p. 163. |
Lorum | Co Carlow | Leamh-dhruim [Lavrum], elm ridge. |
Lough | A lake; an inlet of the sea. | |
Loughan | Loughane, Loughaun; little lake. | |
Loughanreagh | Co Antrim | Grey little lake. |
Loughbeg | Little lake. | |
Lough Boderg | The lake of the red cow. | |
Lough Bofin | The lake of the white cow. | |
Loughbrickland | Co Down | Corrupted by changing r to l, and adding d (see pp. 3 and 4), from Loch-Bricrenn, F. M., the lake of Bricriu, a chief of the first century. |
Lough Conn | Co Mayo | Loch-Con, F. M., the lake of the hound. |
Lough Corrib | The correct Irish name is Loch Orbsen, F. M., which was corrupted by the attraction of the c sound in Loch to Orbsen, and by the omission of the syllable sen. Orbsen was another name for Manannan Mac Lir, a celebrated legendary personage. | |
Loughcrew | Co Meath | Loch-craeibhe [creeve], the lake of the branchy tree. |
Lough Derg | On the Shannon; contracted from Loch-Dergdherc [Dergerk], the lake of the red eye, which is explained by a legend. | |
Lough Derravara | Co Westmeath | Loch-Dairbhreach [Darravara], F. M., the lake of the oaks. See Darraragh |
Lough Erne | The lake of the Ernai, a tribe of people. | |
Lough Finn | See Finn river. | |
Lough Guitane | Near Killarney; Loch-coiteain [cut-thaun], the lake of the little cot or boat. | |
Lough Melvin | Leitrim / Fermanagh | Corrupted from Loch-Meilghe [Melye], the lake of Meilghe, an ancient king of Ireland. |
Lough Neagh | Written in the Book of Leinster Loch-nEchach [nehagh], the lake of Eochy [Ohy], a Munster chief, who was drowned in it at the time of its eruption in the first century. The N is a mere grammatical inflection, and the name is often used without it; for instance, we find it spelled Lough Eaugh in Camden, as well as in many of the maps of the 16th and 17th centuries. | |
Lough Oughter | Co Cavan | Loch-uachtar, upper lake, i. e. upper as regards Lough Erne. |
Loughrea | Co Galway | Loch-riabhach, grey lake. |
Lug | A hollow; the same as Lag and Leg. | |
Lugduff mountain | Over Glendalough; black hollow, from a hollow at the base. | |
Luggelaw | Co Wicklow | The hollow of the lagh or hill. |
Lugmore | Great hollow. | |
Lugnaquillia | Co Wicklow | The highest mountain in Wicklow; Lug-na-gcoilleach [Lugnagulliagh], the hollow of the cocks, i. e. grouse. |
Lumcloon | Bare meadow (lom, bare). | |
Lurgan | The shin; a long hill. | |
Lurganboy | Co Leitrim | Yellow long hill. |
Lurraga | Co Armagh | The same as Lurgan. |
Lusk | Co Dublin | Lusca, a cave. |
Lusmagh | Co Offaly | In King's County; the plain of herbs (lus, an herb). |
Lynally | In the sixth century there was a forest here called the wood of Ela; and the church founded by St. Colman, about the year 590, was thence called Lann-Ealla (O'C. Cal), the church of Ela, which has been anglicised to the present name. | |
Lynn | A form of Lann, a house or church. | |
Lyre | Ladhar [Lyre],a fork formed by rivers or glens. See Lear. |
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