Michael Cusack Heritage Centre

Here's the fascinating origins of the 32 counties' names, including a few GAA nicknames too! ○ Antrim = Aontroim The home of the Glensmen translates to "lone ridge" or "lone dwelling." ○ Armagh = Ard Mhacha "Macha's height." In the legend, Macha was forced to race the king's horses while heavily pregnant. She won, gave birth to twins at the finish line, and cursed the men of Ulster with labour pains in their hour of need. Ouch. She's the reason for the famous hill fort of Emain Macha, and the county is now known as The Orchard County. ○ Carlow = Ceatharlach The Dolmen County, aka The Barrowsiders (after the River Barrow), and let's not forget The Scallion Eaters. Its not very glamorous translation is probably "place of cattle." ○ Cavan = An Cabhán Part of the medieval Kingdom of Breifne (this was East Breifne, ruled by the O'Reillys), it isn't the Gaeilge for tight feckers. It means "the hollow." ○ Clare = An Clár Clár means "plank," likely a plank bridge over the River Fergus at what's now Clarecastle. The county was shired in 1565 and named after that castle, not the Norman de Clare family directly, though the castle itself was tied to them. Before that, the area was the old kingdom of Thomond, "North Munster." The Banner County nickname has competing explanations: banners captured by Clare's Dragoons at Ramillies in 1706, or the banners carried when Daniel O'Connell won the famous 1828 by-election there, paving the way for Catholic Emancipation in 1829. ○ Cork = Corcaigh It's not the Irish for langer. The rather embarrassing meaning is "marsh." It's known as The Rebel County because the city backed the royal pretender Perkin Warbeck against Henry VII in the 1490s, and the name proudly stuck through every rebellion since. ○ Derry = Doire "Oak grove." Simples. Officially Londonderry since 1613, when London livery companies were handed the lands during the Plantation. ○ Donegal = Dún na nGall "Fort of the foreigners," and the foreigners in question are generally taken to be the Vikings. The older name is Tír Chonaill, "the land of Conall," after Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. ○ Down = An Dún Straight to the point. "The fort." ○ Dublin = Baile Átha Cliath = Dubhlinn I know from experience there will be some naysayers who will (incorrectly) contradict this, but Áth Cliath means "ford of the hurdles," a crossing over the Liffey made of woven wicker. Not a fort! Less controversial is Dubhlinn, "black pool," the dark tidal pool where the Poddle met the Liffey. ○ Fermanagh = Fear Manach "The men of Manach," a tribe whose name is shrouded in mystery. Today it's more simply The Lakeland County. ○ Galway = Gaillimh Named for the River Gaillimh, a name often translated as "stony." Legend says it honours Gaillimh, a princess who drowned in it. Also known as The Tribesmen, as the city was dominated by fourteen merchant families, the Tribes of Galway. ○ Kerry = Ciarraí "Ciar's people." Ciar meaning "dark" and raighe meaning "people" or "descendants," the Ciarraige being the descendants of a legendary Ciar. The locals just call it The Kingdom, and they're not joking. ○ Kildare = Cill Dara "Church of the oak," founded by St. Brigid...remember Derry? ○ Kilkenny = Cill Chainnigh "Church of Cainnech," after the 6th century St. Cainnech (Canice), who died around 600 CE. Kilkenny is also called "the Marble City" because of its famous black marble, which is technically a polished dark limestone. And of course, The Cats! Named after the legend of the two cats that fought so ferociously only their tails were left. ○ Laois = Laois It comes from the Loígis, a people whose legendary ancestor was Lugaid Laigne, a warrior said to have driven invaders out and been rewarded with a hero-sized parcel of land. For historical accuracy's sake, we must also note that from 1556 it was "Queen's County," after Bloody Mary I, with the town of Portlaoise called Maryborough. COUNTIES CONTINUED IN NEXT POST->>>