Irish Place Names D
DALKEY, County Dublin NAME ON MAP: Dalkei / Delginis SOURCES: Song of Dermot and the Earl, c.1210 / Annals FIRST RECORD: Delginis MODERN IRISH NAME: Deilginis TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: derived from Norse dalkr `thorn' and ey `island'. The Irish name Delginis, meaning the same, goes back centuries before the Vikings arrived.
DELVIN, County Westmeath NAME ON MAP: Dealbhna SOURCE: Four Masters as at 1292 MODERN IRISH NAME: Dealbhna TYPE: Stone Castle MEANING: a tribal name. The family traditionally descended from Lewy Deadbhaeth, who was eighth in descent from the legendary Olioll Olum, the ancestor of the Dalcassians.
DERRY, LONDONDERRY, County Londonderry/Derry NAME ON MAP: Doire Coluimcille SOURCE: Annals of Ulster as at 1281 FIRST RECORD: Daire Calgaich DATE: c.700 MODERN IRISH NAME: Doire TYPE: Celtic religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: `oakwood'. The earliest name, commemorating a certain Calgaich (the name means `fierce warrior'), was used until about AD 1000, when the name was changed to commemorate Colum Cille (St Columba) who erected his monastery here in 546. London was added by a charter granted to a company of London merchants by James I (1603?1625).
DESMOND EARLY NAME: Des muman SOURCE: Annals of Ulster as at 1302 MODERN IRISH NAME: Deasmhumhain MEANING: `South Munster'. This was one of the ancient territories of Ireland and covered modern County Kerry and much of County Cork. In 1300 it no longer existed as such although the name was still in use.
DEVENISH ISLAND, County Fermanagh NAME ON MAP: Daimhinis SOURCE: Irish Authorities MODERN IRISH NAME: Daimh inis TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "damh `ox' inis `island'". The monastery was founded by St Molaise.
DINGLE, County Kerry NAME ON MAP: Daingean ui Chuis SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: An Daingean TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: "daingean `fortress' of § Cush".
DONAGHMORE, County Meath NAME ON MAP: Domhnaigh Móir SOURCE: Four Masters as at 1205 MODERN IRISH NAME: Domhnach Mór TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "great church".
DONAGHMOYNE, County Monaghan NAME ON MAP: Domhnach Maighin SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Domhnach Maighean TYPE: Celtic religious foundation, also stone castle MEANING: "domhnach `church' of the little plain". (Machaire `plain'.) Maighean has, however, also been translated as "a place owned by some particular people".
DONEGAL, County Donegal NAME ON MAP: Dun na nGall SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún na nGall TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "dún `fortress' of the gall `foreigners' (ie. Vikings)". This was unimportant before the O'Donnels erected a castle here in 1474. A 10th century bardic poem, however, records that the three sisters of Donnel, from whom the O'Donnels take their name, celebrated their marriages to three Danish princes here. See the entry for Tirconnell.
DOUGLAS, County Cork NAME ON MAP: Dubhghlaise SOURCE: Joyce MODERN IRISH NAME: Dúglas TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "dubh `black' glaise `streamlet'".
DOWN MODERN IRISH NAME: An Dún TYPE: County MEANING: `fort'. The modern county took its name from the Dál Fiatach capital.
DOWNPATRICK, County Down NAME ON MAP: Dún Pádraig SOURCE: OS FIRST RECORD: Dún dá Leth Glas SOURCE: Four Masters TYPE: Continental religious foundation MEANING: originally "fort of the two broken locks or fetters". Dún Pádraig came into use in the 12th century after the discovery of relics of St Patrick and others here. The spelling Downpatrick first appears in a 1617 record.
DROGHEDA, County Louth NAME ON MAP: Drochaidh Atha SOURCE: Annals of Ulster as at 1297 MODERN IRISH NAME: Droichead Otha TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also walled town MEANING: droichead `bridge' at the atha `ford'.
DROMORE, County Down NAME ON MAP: Druim Mocholmóg SOURCE: Joyce MODERN IRISH NAME: Droim Mór TYPE: Celtic religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: "great ridge". The old name commemorates the founder, St Colmán.
DRUMAHOSE, County Londonderry/Derry NAME ON MAP: Druim an Chuais SOURCE: OS TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "droim `ridge' of the uahais `caves'".
DRUMCLIFFE, County Sligo NAME ON MAP: Droma Cliabh SOURCE: Four Masters as at 1278 MODERN IRISH NAME: Droim Chliabh TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "droim `ridge' of cliabh `baskets'".
DRUMCONDRA, County Meath NAME ON MAP: Drom Conreach SOURCE: Joyce MODERN IRISH NAME: Droim Conrach TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "Conra's droim `ridge'".
DUAGH, County Kerry NAME ON MAP: Dubh Ath MODERN IRISH NAME: Dubháth TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "black ford".
DUBLIN, County Dublin NAME ON MAP: Dyveline / Ath Cliáth SOURCES: Song of Dermot and the Earl / Four Masters as at 1283 FIRST RECORD: Eblana SOURCE: Ptolemy, 2nd century MODERN IRISH NAME: Baile Otha Cliath TYPE: Walled town MEANING: "dubh `black' linn `pool'". The ath `ford' (lined with) cliath `hurdles' probably provided the only foot passage across the Liffey possibly where the Father Matthew Bridge was later built. Eblana, the name recorded by Ptolemy is Celtic, but the meaning is unkown.
DULEEK, County Meath NAME ON MAP: Damhliag SOURCE: OS TYPE: Celtic religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: `stone church'. Tradition makes it the first in Ireland, founded by St Patrick and handed by him to St Cianán.
DUNAMASE, County Laois NAME ON MAP: Donemaske DATE: c.1380 MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Másc TYPE: Stone Castle MEANING: "dún `fortress' of Masg". (He was the grandson of the legendary Sedna Sithbhaic, one of the reputed ancestors of the Leinster people.) The early anglicized form, Donemaske, appears in an `Inquisition' of Richard II (1377?99).
DUNBOYNE, County Meath NAME ON MAP: Dun Buinne SOURCE: Four Masters MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Búinne TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: "Búinne's fort" or "the fort at the buinne `surge, flood'".
DUNBRODY, County Wexford NAME ON MAP: Dún Bróith SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Bróithe TYPE: Continental religious foundation MEANING: "Brúide's fort".
DUNDALK, County Louth NAME ON MAP: Dún Dealgan SOURCE: Annals of Ulster as at 1318 FIRST RECORD: Sraidbaile MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Dealgan TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also stone castle MEANING: "Dealga's dún `fort'", probably referring nearby Castletown, birthplace of the legendary Cú Chulainn. Legend has it that Dealga, chief of the Fir Bolg built the fort. The earlier name means "street town".
DUNDRUM, County Down NAME ON MAP: Dundroma SOURCE: Four Masters MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Droma TYPE: Stone Castle MEANING: "dún `fort' on the droim `ridge'".
DUNGANNON, County Tyrone NAME ON MAP: Dun Geanainn SOURCE: Joyce MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Geanainn TYPE: Continental religious foundation MEANING: "Geanann's fort". Legend has it that he was the son of a first century druid called Caffa.
DUNGARVAN, County Waterford NAME ON MAP: Dun Garbhain SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Garbháin TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: "Garbhán's dún `fort'".
DUNGIVEN, County Londonderry/Derry NAME ON MAP: Duine Gémhin SOURCE: Annals of Ulster as at 1252 MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Geimhin TYPE: 12th century Gaelic religious foundation MEANING: "fortress of the skins". Probably from OLD IRISH gemen `hide, skin'; Géimhin might, however, have been a personal name.
DUNHILL, County Waterford NAME ON MAP: Donnoil SOURCE: Joyce MODERN IRISH NAME: Dúnaill TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "dún `fort' (of the) ail `cliff'".
DUNLUCE, County Antrim NAME ON MAP: Dunlios SOURCE: Four Masters MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Libhse TYPE: Stone Castle MEANING: possibly derived from dún, here meaning `strong', and lios `ring?fort'.
DUNMORE, County Galway NAME ON MAP: Dúin Móir SOURCE: Four Masters as at 1271 MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Mór TYPE: Stone Castle MEANING: "great fort". It was held by King Turloch Mór § Conor of Connacht in the 12th century.
DUNSHAUGHLIN, County Meath NAME ON MAP: Domhnach Sechnaill SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Dún Seachlainn TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: originally "domhnach `church' of Sechnaill". St Sechnall traditionally arrived in Ireland in 439 to join his uncle St Patrick and settled here until his death in 448.
DURROW, County Offaly NAME ON MAP: Darú SOURCE: OS TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: from dair `oak' and magh `plain'. Bede (672-735) spelt it Dearmagh. The monastery was founded by Colum Cille (St Columba) in 553.