A Guide to the Placenames of Rathgormack

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Like its sister Parish of Mothel this division, formerly a dependency of the Abbey of Mothel, is of great extent. Its name is non-ecclesiastical-derived from the townland on which there are the ruined church and graveyard. Two of its townslands, scil:- Glenanore and Knockaunaffrin, are in another barony (Glenahiery) and two others, scil:- Carrigeen and Curraduff, are separated from the body of the parish by the Comeragh range.

The Knockanaffrin Ridge which divides The Nire and Rathgormack

TOWNLANDS

AUGHMORE, Áth Mhór - "Great Ford." Area, 200 acres.

BALLINGARRA, Baile an Ghearrtha - "Homestead (or Town) of the Cutting Off." It was cut, in about 1837, off the modern Catholic parish of Rathgormack. Gearrtha seems to be used locally in the sense of "short-cut." Area, 300 acres.

BALLYCULLANE, Baile Uí Choileáin - "O'Collins Homestead." Area 176 acres. "
Ballycolane" (Inq. Car. I.).

BALLYNAFINA, Baile na Foidhíne. Meaning unknown: O'D. renders it - "Homestead or the Green Field." This another of the places visited by the legendary Glas Ghabhnach; she pastured here on her way Suirwards from Coolnalingady ("Gaelic Journal," Vol. ii. , p. 163). Area, 257 acres.
S.D. Áth na mBarrailidhe - "Ford of the Barrels."

BOOLABEG, Buaile Bheag - "Little Milking Place," i.e., Little in comparison with Boolacloghach, which was the Booley-more of which the present townsland originally formed part. Area, 325 acres

BOOLACLOGHAGH, Buaile Chlochach - "Stony Milking Place." Highest point on this townsland, 2,504 feet. Area, 917 acres.
S.DD. (a) Coumgarra Lough (O.M.). The Ordnance name here is incorrect. The place so marked is really Com Iarthar - "Western Basin," containing three small laakes without special names.

Click on the image to see full size version:

CARRIGEEN, Carraigín - "Little Rock"; the townland is practically uninhabited. Area, 840 acres.

Coum Lara, a dry corrie - in Carrigeen

A Standing Stone, near the lay-by, in Carrigeen. This is an ancient monument on the Nire side of the Gap. The coums of the Scilloges and the Coumalochs are in the background.
S.D. Beárna Bhéil a Bhealaigh - "Gap of the Pass Mountain"; the best known of the passes over the Comeragh Mountains: it connects Rathgormack with the Nire.

The Gap - the old road between the
Nire Valley and Rathgormack, as seen
from the Rathgormack side.

Carraig na Sean Ean, the rocky
outcrop on the South side of the Gap.

CARROWCLOUGH. See under Dysert Parish. Area, 130 acres.
"Carroughkellough" (D.S.R.).

CARROWLEIGH, Ceathramha Liath - "Grey Quarter." Area, 204 acres
"Carhuleagh" (D.S.R.).
S.DD. (a) Bóthairín Uaitéir - "Walter's Little Road"; now obliterated.
(b) Cloch na gCeann - "Stone of the heads"; a large unhewn boulder upon which the Powers of Rathgormack beheaded malefactors or their enemies!

CLONDONNELL, Cluain Domhaill - "Donal's Meadow." Area, 961 acres.
"Clonedonill" (Inq. Jac. I.).
S.DD. (a) Aughanirvor (O.M.), Áth an Fhir Mhóir - "Ford of the Big Man."
(b) Páirc a Tighe Mhóir - "Field of the Great House"; from former mansion of a branch of the Power family.
(c) Cnoc a Chronáin - Anglicised "Croney Hill"; a well-known sub-denomination - "Hill of the Humming." A few families who inhabited this place were noted for poetic and musical tastes- hence the name.
(d) An Crois - "The Cross"; a rock on the mountain summit, bearing a fancied resemblance to the symbol of redemption.
(e) Na Trí Charraigínidhe - "The Three Little Rocks"; on the mountain summit

CURRAGHAKIELY, Currach A Chaolaigh - "Morass of the Fairy Flax (Linium Silvestre)." A Catholic Diocesan Synod - the first since the Reformation - was held here in 1677, under the presidency of John Brennan, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore. Owing to operation of the Penal Laws such a meeting would have been attended with much danger if held in a more public place. The exact site of the Synod house is not now on this townsland, but on Poulavone, a former sub-division of Curraghkeily. To the left of the main Clonmel road - fifty perches or so to the West of latter - stood the residence of a Catholic middleman named Power in which the clergy assembled. "Seamus Cuircech (James the Top-Knotted), Curraigh an Chaoilaigh," one of the Powers of that ilk, is still traditionally remembered. Area, 848 acres
S.DD. (a) Bóthairín Caoch - "Blind (cul-de-sac) Little Road."
(b) Páirc na Graineóige - "Field of the Hedgehog."
(c) Áth a Bháin Íseal - "Lower Plain Ford."
Along the Mountain Ridge occur two following:-
(d) Béal Muice - "Pig's Mouth."
(e) Drom Péiste - "Serpent's Ridge"; jutting out at a right angle to the general mountain line.

The Serpent's Ridge overlooking Lough More

CURRAHEEN, Curraichín - "Little Morass." Area, 1,766 acres.
"Cuirraheene" (D.S.R.).
S.DD. (a) Ceathramhan (Carhoon, local case) - "Quarter"; a sub-division.
(b) Lough More (O.M.), Loch Mhór - "Big Lake" at a height of 1,518 feet.

Lough More with the wooded Croney Hill in the background.

(c)Comduala, Com Duala. Meaning undetermined; called also Quinlan's Lake. This mountain tarn is five acres in extent, and is situated at a height of 1,533 feet. From it the Clodaigh River rises.

Overlooking Quinlan's Lake

(d) Casan Phóil - "Paul's Path"; running by the side of last. The Paul commemorated gave his name likewise to a semi-savage faction, "The Pooleens," who with their barbarous rivals, "the Gows," long disturbed the peace not only of this region but of all mid-Waterford.
(e) Caisleán na Saighdiuiridhe - "The Soldier's Castle"; a rock pinnacle at the junction of three townlands and at a height of 2,476 feet. The soldiers I take to be Royal Engineers engaged in Survey work, and the "castle," probably a trigonometrical Survey mark.

CURRAGHDUFF, Currach Dubh - "Black Morass." On this townland, which is practically uninhabited, are four small lakes the names of which the 12 in. Ordnance Map has done yeoman service in confounding and confusing. The two basins forming the north group are known as the "Stilloges" (see under Ross), while the other two are called the "Comalochs". (probably compounded of com, a hollow, and loch, a lake). Highest point, 2,465 feet. Area, 1706 acres.
Click on the image to see full size version:

GLENPATRICK, Gleann Phádruig - "Patrick's Glen." Area, 1,905 acres.
"Glanpatrick" (D.S.).
S.DD. (a) Áth na gCailínidhe - "The Girl's Ford."
(b) Sídh Ghabhnaighe - "Gowna's (or the 'calf's') Fairy Mound."
(c) Aughnacilla (O.M.), Áth na Cille - "Ford of the Church." The church referred to is the site of an early church by the north side of the Clonmel road at the junction of this townland with Poulavone.
Along the Mountain Summit (south to north):-
(d) Carraig Sídhe Ghabhnaighe. See (b) above.
(e) Carraig a Choisigeint. Signification of qualifying word is undetermined: Coisigeint may possibly be a corruption of some derivative from Coisrighim, I consecrate.
(f) Seaghainín na Bréige - "Lying Little John" a jutting rock point which in the distance looks like a man.

Seanganabreaga - at the Northern-most point of the Knockanaffrin Ridge.
(g) Carraig Dhubh - "Black Rock."

GRAIGAVALLA; Gráig a Bhealaigh - "Village of the (Mountain) Pass." Area, 1,217 acres.
S.DD. (a) An Leac Dhubh - "The Black Flagstone."
(b) Gleann Dubh - "Black Glen.";
(c) An Staidhre - "The Stairs"; this is the entrance to the "Gap" from the east.
(d) Móin A Tiomáint - "The Hurling Bog."
(e) Na Sráidínidhe - "The Little Villages."
(f) An Bréagan - "The little Deceitful Thing" a point on the mountain on the boundary with Boola.

KILLBALLYQUILTY, Cill Bhaile Uí Choilltigh - "Church of O'Quilty's Homestead." Here stoood another mansion of the Powers, of which there is a rough sketch on one of the Down Survey Maps in the Public Record Office, Dublin. Area, 601 acres.
"Killballikilty" (Inq. Jac. I.).
S.D. Páirc na Cille - "Site of the Early Church"; on the west boundary of the townland.

KILLBRACK, Cill Breac - "Speckled Church (or Church Site)." Area, 596 acres.
"Killbrack" (Inq. Jac. I.).
S.DD. (a) Currach na Muine - "Swamp of the Neck.": a village.
(b) Tobar na bPáidínidhe - "Well of Little Paddy's Descendants."
(c) Cillín, early church site, with its circular fence.

KNOCKALAFALLA, Cnoc A Leith-Bhaile - "Half-town Hill." An ogham-inscribed stone found here has been removed to Comeragh Lodge; its legend runs:- Lugundi Maqi Leduqa Mocoi Donmi" (Macalister, "Studies in Irish Epigraphy," Pt. III., p. 226.). Area, 378 acres.
"Knocknafally" (D.S.R.).

KNOCKNACREHA, Cnoc na Croiche - "Gallow's Hill." The Gallows in question was set up on a hillock (Cruach na Croiche) by one of the Rathgormack Powers. An annual fair was held here till 1814 when it had to be discontinued due to abuses. Area, 117 acres.
"Knocknacraghy" (D.S.R.).
S.D. Tobar Fionn - "White Well."

MONADIHA, Móin na Daibhche - "Bog of the Vat"; the "vat" may have been a bog-hole. Móin, in the name, is now being corrupted into muin and even muilleann. On the townland is a fine dallán of micaceous sandstone. Area, 388 acres.
S.D. Bóthar na bhFáinnadhe (?) - "Road of the Rings."

PARK, Páirc Mhór - "Big Field." Area, 546 acres.
"Upper Parke" (D.S.R.).
S.DD. (a) Clár a Rinnce - "The Dancing Board"; a name applied to two fields.
(b) Gort na Leacht - "Garden of the Monumental Cairns."
(c) Sean Ais a Tighe - "Old Place of the House." The present is perhaps the only occurrence of the word ais in a place-name of the Decies.
(d) Cill Eoghain - "Eoghan's Church"; a very interesting early church site, the circular fence of which is bisected by the main road. A bullán, with double basin, lies where the church stood. There is also a holy well. A "pattern" was held here annually on the 15th of August, till its suppression by the Parish Priest in 1825.

PARKBEG, Páirc Bheag - "Little Field." Area, 172 acres.
"Lower Parke" (D.S.R.).

POULAVONE, Poll a Mhúin - "Hole of the Putrid Water." See under Curraghakiely. Area, 237 acres.
S.D. Lag na Slinne - "Slate Hollow."

RATHGORMACK, Rátha Gormaic (Ráth Ó gCormaic) - "O'Cormick's Rath." Contrast with Rathcormac (Ráth Chormaic), Co. Cork. Area, 112 acres.
S.DD. (a) Páirc na bhFáinnidhe - "Field of the Rings"; from the discovery of some gold rings which (with a bronze cross) were dug up here in around 1857. The cross is in use, over the high altar, in Clonea Church.
(b) Páirc na Cille - "Field of the Early Church (Site)"; on Terry's farm.
(c) Ráithínidhe - "Little Forts"; three or four lioses in a group near the centre of the townland.
"Rahines" (Inq. Jac. I.).

SHANAKILL, Seana Chuil - "Old Hazel" (not "Sean Coill," O'Donavan). Area, 455 acres.
"Shannakill" (D.S.R.).

The following two townlands occur in the Barony of Glenahiery. They are seperated from the body of the parish by the Knockanaffrin Ridge.

TOWNLANDS

GLENANORE, Gleann an Fhóghmhair - "Harvest (or Autumn) Glen." Area, 1295 acres. S.D. Stolla na Saighdiúirí - "The Soldier's Rock Post."

KNOCKANAFFRIN, Cnoc an Aifrinn - "Hill of the Mass." Height of most elevated point, 1,293 ft. Area, 1,254 acres. "Knockaneffrin" (D.S.R.).

Knockanaffrin - The highest point in this part of the Comeragh mountains in the middle of the Knockanaffrin Ridge. The summit is to the left of centre of this photo.

These Pages have been written and maintained by Keith Kennedy.
Disclaimer: This website is of my own undertaking and does not represent any of the beliefs or ideas of any one from Rathgormack. If I offend anyone in these pages it is purely by accident and not by intent.

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