The Place-Names of Decies
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THE PLACE-NAMES OF DECIES By VERY REV. P. CANON POWER D. LITT. M.R.1.A. SECOND EDITION CORK UNIVERSITY PRESS OXFORD: B. H. BLACKWELL. LTD. 1952 Published by The Cork University Press, University College, Cork. Printed in Ireland by Eagle Printing Co., Ltd., South Mall, Cork, Printers to the Cork University Press. FOREWORD Patrick Power was born at Callaghane, three miles from Waterford, on 8th March, 1862. He was educated at Ballygunner National School, the Catholic University School, Waterford, and St. John's College, Waterford. He was ordained in 1883 and for three years he worked on temporary mission in Liverpool. Being threatened with tuberculosis, he went to Australia, where he spent seven years in the diocese of Wilcania-Forbes, being Rector successively of Cobar, Bourke and Wilcania, New South Wales. He came into contact with the aborigines; and it is probably in Australia that his interest in archaeology was first developed. On his return to Waterford he was attached to the Cathedral for three years; he then successively became Diocesan Inspector of Schools, Chaplain to the De la Salle Training College, and Curate at Portlaw. About 1900 he published a Manual of Religious Instruction, which ran to thirty editions and was used extensively in this country during the first two decades of the century; it appears to be still in use in Australia. His interest in place-names, ecclesiastical antiquities and archaeology soon became more than a paragon or hobby. He made extensive explorations throughout Waterford. Even in his student days he published in local papers articles on Waterford history. For many years he was editor of the Journal of the Waterford and South-East Ireland archaeological Society. In addition to numerous articles he published the following books:- Celtic Crosses of Kilkiernan, Kilklispeen and Killamery (N.D.) Chapel of St. Finbarr, University College, (N.D.) The “Rian Bó Phádraig” (1903) Place Names of the Decies (1907) Donnchadh Rua Mac Namara (1911) Dunbrody Abbey (1911) Parochial History of Waterford (1912) Lives of Saints Declan and Mochuda (1913) Place Names and Antiquities of South East Cork (1917-18) Ardmore Deugláin (1919) Prehistoric Ireland (1922) Early Christian Ireland (1925) Ancient Topography of Fermoy (1931) Ardmore: Its founder and Early Christian Memorials (1931) A Bishop of the Penal Times (1932) The Ogham Stones, University College, Cork (1932) Short History of County Waterford (1933) Aran of the Saints (1935) Waterford and Lismore: A Compendious History of the United Dioceses (1937) The Cathedral Parish of Holy Trinity, Waterford (1940) St. John's and Ballygunner (1942) From 1910 to 1931 he gave lectures on Archaeology in Maynooth. He became associated with University College, Cork, and in 1915 he succeeded Sir Bertram Windle as Professor of Archaeology a post which he held until his retirement in 1932. In 1926 the National University of Ireland awarded him the degree of D.Litt. From personal experience I can certify that Canon Power was a most agreeable colleague, with old-world courtesy and unfailing gentleness. He was most unworldly, devoting all of his scanty means to the purchase of books and manuscripts. Barring his interest in horticulture, he was devoted solely to his subject, retaining his studious habits even to the last. At the same time one never forgot that he was a saintly priest, firm but unostentatious in his faith. Visiting him in the summer of 1950, an old friend found him seated in a secluded corner of his garden, his long rosary trailing through his fingers. The Canon brought him into his book-filled sitting-room and pointed to a pile of manuscripts on the table. “There,” he said, “is the new edition of the Place Names of the Decies. It has cost me my eyesight; I am no longer able to read. I am handing the material to Liam Ó Míochán of Ring for final revision.” So the present book is the last work of this old scholar of eighty-nine. He died on 16th October, 1951. The publication of this edition has been made possible by the financial aid contributed by friends and admirers. 4th November, 1952. Alfred O’Rahilly University College Cork. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION It was a pleasant surprise for the author to find himself called upon a couple of years ago by the Waterford County Council, at the instigation of the late lamented Michael O'Ryan, M.C.C., of Knockalisheen, Ballymacarbery, for a new edition of “The Place-Names of Decies,” first published nearly fifty years previously. What could he have done but comply with such a demand, even though it involved sacrifice of the rest to which he had looked forward. “The Place-Names” had, in the first instance, been printed serially, and, later, it was brought out in book- form by a London publisher. For the present edition the text has been severely overhauled and revised. It has, too, been materially added to, and in parts, where pruning was admissible, curtailed and compressed. In preparation of the present edition the writer was lucky in having the skilled assistance of Liam O'Meehan, of Ring, who has not only read the proofs critically, but made many valuable suggestions, supplied more modern spellings, better renderings and corrections innumerable. Doctor Risteárd Ó Foghlú (Fiachra Éilgeach) of the Place-Name Commission, Dublin, has rendered a similar service – bringing his wide knowledge and experience to bear on our territorial toponymy. Mr. James Mulcahy, B.A., of Grange, Clonmel, has furnished a long catalogue of new names and thrown new light on names already collected. Mr. Arthur MacGregor, B.A., Waterford was very helpful also in reading the proofs and very kindly offered his assistance in preparing the English Indices. The writer begs also to express his thanks to the following, to whom he feels indebted more than can here be said – The Waterford County Council and the Council Clerical Staff – (as represented by Messrs. Joseph E. Dowling, Secretary, and Thos. B. Doyle, Accountant); the Very Rev. T. Canon O’Brien, P.P., V.G., Dungarvan; Rev. T.A. Murphy, P.P., B.A., Ardfinnan; An Fear Mór, Ring College; Joseph F. Kenny, Solicitor, Dungarvan; James Cleary, I.T., Waterford; and P. O'Connell, M.Sc., Ph.D., Clonmel. They have made him prouder than ever of his Decies. Finally he wishes to pay his tribute of gratitude to the many – 90% of them personally unknown to him – who subscribed towards the Publication Fund, and especially to the Cork University authorities for their generous gesture towards the project. Their number makes individual acknowledgement an impossibility and leaves no alternative to the simple but heartfelt “Go raibh maith acu” List of Abbreviations A.F.M. – Annals of the Four Masters. A.S.E. – Acts of Settlement and Explanation. B.S.D. -Books of Survey and Distribution. D.S. -Down Survey. D.S.M. -Down Survey Map. D.S.R. -Down Survey Reference. Inq. -Inquisition. O.M. -Ordnance Map (6-in.). S.DD. -Sub-denominations. Sub-div. -Sub-division. Visit. -Visitation Book. Introduction Native toponymy or the study of Irish Place-Names has hitherto received but scant attention at the hands of scholars. In the not distant future, however, the science is certain to attain a very considerable importance for, of the many branches of archaeology, there is not one more useful to the scientific historian. It tells him – if he has learned to read its message – not only the physical appearance and character of the country in ages past, not only the story of flora and fauna in times whereof there is no written record, but many particulars moreover concerning the successive races who occupied the land – of their movements and their occupations, their culture, their domestic life and their social system, their institutions and their manner of thought. As the Saxon names of England borrow a hard and practical and matter-of-fact character from the racial mind of which they are the product so our Irish place-names, breathing a soft aroma of fancy, indicate themselves the offspring of more imaginative people. At the same time it is proper to note that there has been much exaggeration regarding the poetry latent in our Irish names. The imaginative in our place-names is far less, proportionately, than the same element in the literature – less even than what one should prima facie, somehow or other, expect. It is the dreamy country schoolmaster and the disciple of Vallancey who have read into local nomenclature so much unwarranted romance, or rather, complexity of idea. As a matter of fact place-names in general, and Irish place-names in particular, are the simplest of simple things. In their concept there is no subtlety; in their genesis no conscious striving at effect. It is the “Red Bog,” “Great Hill” or “Tree-Surrounded Homestead,” with occasional dashes of fancy due to some resemblance – perhaps apparent, perhaps apprehensible only by the Celtic mind. As a rule the place-name is merely descriptive. A tribe or family fixes its abode beside a hill or stream; thenceforth the hill or stream, though near perhaps to other and more imposing hills and streams, becomes to the members of that primitive community – “the Hill” or “the Stream,” or even, “the Great Hill” or “the Great Stream.” Magnitude or the opposite are merely relative; a ridge, thirty feet high, becomes “Ard-Mhór” (Great Eminence), to the dwellers on the plain adjacent. It matters not, that within vision, away in the distance, are other much greater eminences; with these our primitive community is nowise concerned. Similarly, originate our “Great Forts,” and “Great Strands,” our “Great Ridges” and “Great Homesteads.” Any comprehensive or scientific study of our place-names pre-supposes some knowledge of the various races which compose the population – knowledge likewise of the various languages, religions and general culture of these races, as well as of the history, at least in outline, of the country.