Irish Place Names S

SAUL, County Down NAME ON MAP: Sabhall SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Sabhall TYPE: Celtic religious foundation MEANING: `barn'. This preserves the memory of St Patrick's first success in his mission to Ireland. Dichu, the local prince, was his first convert and gave a barn to the saint as a temporary church; the later church built on the site unusually retained the barn's north?south access.

SHANID, County Limerick NAME ON MAP: Senede DATE: 1290 FIRST RECORD: Senatibh DATE: c.1100 MODERN IRISH NAME: Seanaid TYPE: Stone Castle MEANING: probably a loan word from LATIN synod: a place where religious meetings were held.

SHANNON (River) NAME ON MAP: Sionainn SOURCE: Annals FIRST RECORD: Senos SOURCE: Ptolemy, 2nd century MODERN IRISH NAME: An tSionna TYPE: River MEANING: "the old one" from sean `old'.

SHRULE, County Mayo NAME ON MAP: Struthir DATE: 1302 MODERN IRISH NAME: Sruthair TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: `stream'.

SLANE, County Meath NAME ON MAP: Slaine SOURCE: Annals FIRST RECORD: Ferta fer Fiec MODERN IRISH NAME: Baile Shláine TYPE: Celtic religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: the early name meant "the graves of the followers of Fiac". The meaning of Slane is uncertain; `health' is just possible.

SLIGO, County Sligo NAME ON MAP: Sligigh SOURCE: Annals of Ulster as at 1293 MODERN IRISH NAME: Sligeach TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also stone castle MEANING: derived from slig `shell' and each `full of'.

STRADBALLY, County Waterford NAME ON MAP: Sradbhaile SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: An Sráidbhaile TYPE: Manor or village MEANING: from sráid `street' and baile `town'; thus an unfortified village.

SWORDS, County Dublin NAME ON MAP: Sord SOURCE: OS TYPE: Celtic religious foundation, also stone castle MEANING: sord `well'. St Columkille blessed an existing pagan well here.