Irish Place Names K
KELLS, County Antrim NAME ON MAP: Cealla SOURCE: Joyce MODERN IRISH NAME: Na Cealla TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: `cells'.
KELLS, County Kilkenny NAME ON MAP: Ceanannas SOURCE: Annals FIRST RECORD: Dun Chuile Sibrinne SOURCE: Four Masters MODERN IRISH NAME: Ceanannas Osrai TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: "ceann lios `head, chief fort' of Ossory". (This was an ancient kingdom in southwest Leinster. The name was anglicized through Kenlis to Kells.
KELLS, County Meath NAME ON MAP: Ceanannas / Kelles SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Ceanannas Mór TYPE: Celtic religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: see the previous entry. Mór means `great'. Kelles appears in a record of 1326.
KERRY (County) EARLY NAME: Ciarraidhe SOURCE: Book of Rights MODERN IRISH NAME: Ciarraí MEANING: Ciarrai derived from the legendary Ciar (Keer) son of Fergus, ex?King of Ulster, and Queen Medb (Maeve) of Connacht. It was often called Ciarraidhe Luachra after the Slievelougher `rushy mountain' range.
KILCOLGAN, County Galway NAME ON MAP: Cill Cholgáin SOURCE: OS TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "Colga's cill `church'". St Colga was a 7th century disciple of Adamnan.
KILCOMMON, County Tipperary NAME ON MAP: Cill Chuimín SOURCE: OS TYPE: Continental religious foundation MEANING: "St Comán's church".
KILDARE, County Kildare NAME ON MAP: Kildare DATE: 1302 FIRST RECORD: Cill Dara DATE: 12th century MODERN IRISH NAME: Cill Dara TYPE: Celtic religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: legend has it that before the time of St Brigid the name was Druim Craidh and it gained its present name "church of the oak" after the saint built her cell beneath a `goodly fair oke'. The spelling Kildare is an early example of an Anglo-Norman attempt to spell an Irish name.
KILFENORA, County Clare NAME ON MAP: Cill Fionnabhrach SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Cill Fhionnúrach TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "St Fionnúir's church". She was the daughter of King Oilill §lum of Munster and Queen Medb (Maeve) of Connacht.
KILKEA, County Kildare NAME ON MAP: Cill Chathaigh SOURCE: OS TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "Cathach's church".
KILKENNY, County Kilkenny NAME ON MAP: Kilkenni SOURCE: Song of Dermot and the Earl, c.1210 MODERN IRISH NAME: Cill Chainnigh TYPE: Celtic religious foundation, also stone castle MEANING: "St Cainneach's church".
KILL, County Kildare NAME ON MAP: Cill SOURCE: Joyce MODERN IRISH NAME: An Chill TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: `church', although coill `wood' is also possible.
KILLALA, County Mayo NAME ON MAP: Cill Ala SOURCE: Annals FIRST RECORD: Cill Alaid (dative form) DATE: c.900 MODERN IRISH NAME: Cill Ala TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: either "varicoloured church" or "St Ala's church".
KILLALOE, County Clare NAME ON MAP: Cill Da Lua SOURCE: Joyce MODERN IRISH NAME: Cill Dalua TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "St Dalua's church". Mo Lua or Do Lua was a 6th century saint.
KILLEIGH, County Offaly NAME ON MAP: Cill Aichidh SOURCE: OS TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "church (of the) achadh field".
KILLORGLIN, County Kerry NAME ON MAP: Cill Orglan SOURCE: OS TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "Orgla's church".
KILMACRENAN, County Donegal NAME ON MAP: Cill Mac nEnain MODERN IRISH NAME: Cill Mhic Réanáin TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: "church of the sons of Énáin".
KILMALLOCK, County Limerick NAME ON MAP: Kylmahallock DATE: 13th Century MODERN IRISH NAME: Cill Mocheallóg SOURCE: OS TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "St Mocheallóg's church".
KILMEADEN, County Waterford NAME ON MAP: Cill Mhíodáin SOURCE: OS TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "St Míodáin's church".
KILMONASTER, County Donegal NAME ON MAP: Cill Mainistreach MODERN IRISH NAME: Cill Mainistrach TYPE: Continental religious foundation MEANING: "church of the monastery".
KILSHANNY, County Clare NAME ON MAP: Cill Seanaigh SOURCE: OS TYPE: Continental religious foundation MEANING: "Seanach's church".
KILSHEELAN, County Tipperary NAME ON MAP: Cill Síoláin SOURCE: OS TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "Síolán's church".
KILTARTAN, County Galway NAME ON MAP: Cill Tartain SOURCE: OS TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "Tartan's church".
KINSALE, County Cork NAME ON MAP: Ceannsaile SOURCE: Annals. MODERN IRISH NAME: Cionn tSáile TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "ceann `head' of the sáile `sea water'"; thus the tidal head on the river.
KINSALEBEG, County Waterford NAME ON MAP: Ceannsaile Beg MODERN IRISH NAME: Cionn tSáile Beag TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: see previous entry. Beag means `small'.
KNOCKMOY, County Galway NAME ON MAP: Cnoc Muaidhe SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Cnoc Muaidhe TYPE: Continental religious foundation MEANING: "Muaidh's cnoc `hill'". (This woman's name meant `good' or `noble'.) The abbey was founded by Cahal of the Red Hand in 1190.
KNOCKTOPHER, County Kilkenny NAME ON MAP: Cnoc a' Tóchair MODERN IRISH NAME: Cnoc na Tóchair TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: "hill of the tóchar `causeway'".