Irish Place Names H-J
HOLLYWOOD, County Wicklow NAME ON MAP: Sanctus Boscus DATE: 13th century MODERN IRISH NAME: Cillín Chaoimhín TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: in "St Kevin's little church". The name used on the map is LATIN `holy wood'.
HOLYCROSS, County Tipperary NAME ON MAP: Mainistir na Croiche SOURCE: OS TYPE: Continental religious foundation MEANING: "monastery of the cross". It was founded in the 12th century and named after a piece of true cross said to be preserved here.
HOLYWOOD, County Down NAME ON MAP: Sanctus Boscus DATE: 13th century MODERN IRISH NAME: Ord Mhic Nasca TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: the name on the map is LATIN `holy wood'. The modern Irish name means "árd `height' of Nasca's sons". An earlier Irish name was Ballyderry "the settlement by the oak wood".
HOWTH, County Dublin NAME ON MAP: Ben Edair / Howeth SOURCE: Annals FIRST RECORD: (possibly) Adrou eremos SOURCE: Ptolemy, 2nd century MODERN IRISH NAME: Binn Éadair TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "Éadar's beann `peak'". NORSE hofuth means `headland'. On a map drawn from Ptolemy's coordinates Howth appears as an island.
INCH, County Down NAME ON MAP: Inis Cumhscraigh SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: An Inis TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "Cumhscrach's inis `island'." It was later erroneously called Inishcourcy after John de Courcy, who founded an abbey in about 1180 on the site of a Celtic monastery.
INIS CATHAIG (near KILRUSH), County Clare NAME ON MAP: Inis Cathaig SOURCE: OS TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "Cathach's inis `island'".
INISHBOFIN, County Galway NAME ON MAP: Inis bo Finne SOURCE: Joyce FIRST RECORD: Inis bo Finde SOURCE: Bede MODERN IRISH NAME: Inis Bó Finne TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "inis `island' of the `white cow'". In legend there was a white cow which appeared at certain times over the waters of a lake on the island.
INISHTIOGE, County Kilkenny NAME ON MAP: Inis Teoc SOURCE: Book of Leinster MODERN IRISH NAME: Inis Tiog TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "Teoc's inis `island'".
INNISFALLEN (KILLARNEY), County Kerry NAME ON MAP: Inis Faithlenn SOURCE: O'Clery's Calendar MODERN IRISH NAME: Inis Faithleann TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "Faithlenn's inis `island'".
INNISHMURRAY, County Sligo NAME ON MAP: Inis Muireadhaigh SOURCE: Joyce MODERN IRISH NAME: Inish Muirígh TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "Muiredach's (Murray's) inis `island'". He was the first Bishop of Killala.
IRELAND NAME ON MAP: Éire SOURCE: OS FIRST RECORD: Scotia MEANING: Éire is probably related to MODERN IRISH iarthar `west'. Before the 11th century the country was generally known as Scotia or Scotia Major. This derived from the name Scoti or Scots by which the Irish people were known. Irish settlement in nearby Caledonia in the 5th and 6th centuries led to that country being called Scotia Minor from which the name Scotland comes.
JERPOINT ABBEY, County Kilkenny NAME ON MAP: Seripont SOURCE: Literature. MODERN IRISH NAME: Cnoc Sheireapúin TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: "Jerry's or Jeremiah's bridge". The abbey was founded by Donogh O'Donohoe in 1180.