Irish Place Names U-Z

ULSTER EARLY NAME: Uladh SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Cúige Uladh MEANING: one of the five ancient kingdoms of Ireland the name derived from the tribal name Ulaidh followed by the genitive NORSE 's and tír `district' (a NORSE record has it as Uladztir.) In 1300 the sub?kingdom no longer existed as such, but the name was used for the much smaller Earldom of Ulster on the north?east coast.

WATERFORD, County Waterford NAME ON MAP: Watreford / Puirt Liarge SOURCE: Song of Dermot and the Earl, c.1210 MODERN IRISH NAME: Port Láirge TYPE: Walled town MEANING: from NORSE vadre `wether, castrated ram' and fjord `inlet'; rams were exported from here. The Irish name, found in the Annals, means port `harbour, bank' of the `haunch' (from the shape of the river bank).

WEXFORD, County Wexford NAME ON MAP: Weiseford / Loc Garman SOURCE: Song of Dermot and the Earl, c.1210 MODERN IRISH NAME: Loch Garman TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also walled town MEANING: derived from NORSE esker `sandbank' and fjord `inlet'. The earlier Irish name, found in the Annals, refers to the pool on the River Slaney, originally the River Garma, which meant `headland'.

WICKLOW, County Wicklow NAME ON MAP: Wykyngelow DATE: 1185 MODERN IRISH NAME: Cill Mhantáin TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also stone castle MEANING: from NORSE víkingr `viking' (from vík `creek') and ló `meadow'. The Irish name means "church of St Mantán".

YOUGHAL, County Cork NAME ON MAP: Eochaill SOURCE: Annals MODERN IRISH NAME: Eochaill TYPE: Continental religious foundation, also manor or village MEANING: `yew?wood'.