Aengus Finnegan
I am a lecturer in Irish at the University of Limerick. I completed my PhD on the townland names of two baronies in Co. Westmeath (Roinn na Gaeilge, NUI Galway) in 2012. 2013-2015: Research Editor in Fiontar, the Irish-language unit of Dublin City University. I was project coordinator of Ainm.ie (online database of Irish-language biographies) and Logainm.ie (Placenames Database of Ireland) and also worked on Dúchas.ie (digitisation of the Schools' Folklore Collection), Téarma.ie and IATE (online Irish-language terminology resources), and did some undergraduate teaching.
Research interests include: Irish placenames, surnames, and personal names; folklore; Irish-language literature, and the historical dialectology and sociolinguistic heritage of the Irish language in central Ireland.
Supervisors: Dr Nollaig Ó Muraíle
Research interests include: Irish placenames, surnames, and personal names; folklore; Irish-language literature, and the historical dialectology and sociolinguistic heritage of the Irish language in central Ireland.
Supervisors: Dr Nollaig Ó Muraíle
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Aengus Finnegan
“Irish? Was that ever spoken here at all?” It is not at all implausible that mention of Westmeath Irish might elicit such a response from a present day Westmeath man or woman. Irish, for many, belongs to some distant and unknowable past, and yet evidence of the language is to be found all around us. Townland names, folklore collections and word-lists, even the rhythm and vocabulary of everyday speech, all hint at a rich tradition which exists just below the surface. It is probably no more than 100 years since the last native speaker of Westmeath Irish passed on, yet almost nothing has been written about the dialect or dialects of Irish one spoken in the county. A considered look at the evidence in this article reveals both Connacht and Ulster influences.
“Irish? Was that ever spoken here at all?” Is mór an seans gur freagra den sórt seo a bhainfeadh caint ar Ghaeilge na hIarmhí as an gnáthdhuine sa lá atá inniu ann, i gContae na hIarmhí. Baineann an Ghaeilge, dar le go leor, le tréimhse atá i bhfad siar, le saol atá caite agus ceilte orainn go deo. Ach tá fianaise ar an teanga ar gach aon taobh dúinn. Féach ar ainmneacha bailte fearainn, ar bhailiúcháin bhéaloidis agus ar liostaí focal. Éist, fiú, le tuin an Bhéarla sa chontae agus lena stór focal agus tá rian den Ghaeilge ann go fóill. Ní dócha go bhfuil 100 bliain ann ó cailleadh an duine deireanach le Gaeilge na hIarmhí, ach is ar éigean a scríobhadh tada ó shin ar an gcanúint nó ar na canúintí Gaeilge a labhraítí tráth sa taobh sin tíre. Déantar scagadh san alt seo ar an bhfianaise mar atá agus sonraítear tréithe Ultacha agus tréithe Connachtacha san fhianaise sin.
Contributors: Aengus Finnegan (DCU), Charles Doherty (RSAI), Matthew Stout (St Pat’s, DCU), Kieran O’Conor (NUIG), Paul Naessens (NUIG), Rory Sherlock (NUIG), Harman Murtagh (Athlone IT), Bernadette Cunningham (RIA), Rolf Loeber (U Pittsburgh), Mary Shine Thompson (St Pat’s, DCU), Gearóid O’Brien (Westmeath County Library).
Bernadette Cunningham is deputy librarian at the Royal Irish Academy. Harman Murtagh was a senior lecturer at Athlone Institute of Technology. Both are past presidents of the Group for the Study of Irish Historic Settlement.
Maine or Muine? Hugh O’Neill and Knockdomny, Co. Westmeath
by Dr Aengus Finnegan
Knockdomny is a prominent hill (157m) and townland just west of Moate, Co. Westmeath. Two of the earliest and most significant attestations of this name are to be found in letters, one in English and one in Irish, which Hugh O’Neill addressed from his camp at Knockdomny in February 1600. The first part of this name is relatively straightforward, cnoc ‘hill’. The second part is less clear, consisting of either a compound dubhmaine, or two separate elements, dubh ‘black’, and maine ‘ ? ’. The lecture will discuss whether the final element is likely to be Maine, referring to the ancient territory of that name (towards the southern bounds of which Knockdomny lies), or whether it is merely the more mundane and commonplace muine ‘thicket’, compounded with dubh > dubhmuine ‘dark thicket’.
Annual Conference May 2012: Settlement in and around Lough Ree:
Abstract:
Title: The Placenames of Lough Ree
In this paper it is intended to discuss some of the names of islands and other features of Lough Ree. Basic methodologies employed in the study of Irish toponymy as well as the linguistic shift from Irish to English in the area during the 18th and 19th centuries will be touched upon by way of background.
Lough Ree is divided between three counties, Roscommon, Longford and Westmeath, with most of the larger islands being in either Longford or Westmeath. Some hundreds of placenames are recorded on the Ordnance Survey first edition maps of the lake (c. 80 are recorded in the portion in Co. Westmeath alone). Field work carried out on the island of Inchturk, Co. Westmeath, indicates the likelihood that many more are known locally, and remain unrecorded. (It will not be possible to examine each and every placename in this paper.)
A general survey of the placenames of the lake will reveal, for example, the relatively early date of many names of the larger islands as compared to adjacent townland names; light will also be shed on local Irish dialect features, and language shift in the area. For the purposes of this survey the placenames of Lough Ree will be assigned to three categories: (1) Early attested names of the larger islands (which are usually also townlands, and many of which were inhabited until recent times); (2) Smaller island and minor shoreline feature names which are apparently later in date, and exhibit dialect features of the Irish formerly spoken in the area; (3) English language navigational and feature names which have their origins in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Aengus Finnegan (Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh).
‘Meath na Gaeilge san Iarmhí – Prófíl na gCainteoirí Deireanacha’.
Dealraítear gur thosaigh meath ag teacht ar úsáid na Gaeilge ón dara leath den 18ú haois ar aghaidh i dtuaisceart Chúige Laighean. Síltear gur scaip an Béarla aneas tríd an gcúige, agus is cosúil go raibh sí beagnach imigh as codanna de Chontae na hIarmhí faoi thús an 19ú haois. Is in aice le Contae na Mí is faide a mhair an teanga, agus bhí cosúlachtaí canúna idir an dá chontae sna ceantair seo. San iarthar tá an cruth ar an scéal gur mhair an teanga beagán níos faide cois na Sionainne, agus go raibh cosúlachtaí canúna idir an Ghaeilge a labhraíodh ansin agus an Ghaeilge a labhraíodh díreach trasna na habhann i gCúige Chonnacht. In ainneoin go raibh an teanga imigh as stráicí móra den chontae roimh aimsir an Ghorta Mhóir, is cosúil gur mhair líon beag de chainteoirí dúchais isteach san 20ú haois. Caithfear súil ar na cainteoirí seo, ar an dáileadh a bhí acu, ar an oideachas a bhí orthu agus ar an aois a bhí orthu. Bunófar an scagadh seo ar na sonraí beatha atá ar fáil i nDaonáirimh 1901 agus 1911.
Nó:
Abstract
It is likely that the Irish language began to decline from the second half of the 18th Century in north Leinster. In the Baronies of Kilkenny West and Clonlonan it is likely that few or no native speakers of Irish remained by the beginning of the 20th Century. T he Irish of Westmeath has been placed with that of Ulster. The language seems to have remained longest in the north of the county, near Co. Meath, and there is some evidence of Ulster influence there. It seems likely that the language lingered later also at the other extreme of the County near the river Shannon. My research on the townland names of the two baronies mentioned above, which has included the examination of historical forms, and local forms, seems to indicate that the Irish of these two baronies was most influenced by that of eastern Connaught, which lies just across the Shannon, and was largely Irish speaking throughout the 19th Century. It is likely that the situation is similar to that of west Offaly, where Williams in examining the similarly scant traces of the language in placenames, folklore collections and local word-lists, has come to a similar conclusion.
The Topography of Bruidhean Da Choga or Bryanmore Hill
The Townland of Bryanmore Upper, in the Barony of Kilkenny West, Co. Westmeath is one subdivision of the former ballybetagh (baile biataigh) of Bruidhean Da Choga, the others being the adjacent townlands of Bryanmore Lower, Bryanbeg Upper and Bryanbeg Lower. Bruidhean Da Choga features in a famous medieval Irish tale called Togail Bruidne Da Choca; ‘The destruction of Da Coga’s hostel’
The principal topographical feature of the townland is the prominent furze-covered Bryanmore Hill (123m). On the south-western slope of the hill the remains of Bruíon Da Choga are to be found. Bruíon, (or in earlier Irish orthography; Bruidhean) usually signifies a hostel, or a large fairy dwelling. The extended landscape surrounding the hill contains a number of features which can be tentatively connected to the text, as well as a number of townlands which are mentioned in the text. This paper will explore theses traces in the landscape.
Aengus Finnegan
“Irish? Was that ever spoken here at all?” It is not at all implausible that mention of Westmeath Irish might elicit such a response from a present day Westmeath man or woman. Irish, for many, belongs to some distant and unknowable past, and yet evidence of the language is to be found all around us. Townland names, folklore collections and word-lists, even the rhythm and vocabulary of everyday speech, all hint at a rich tradition which exists just below the surface. It is probably no more than 100 years since the last native speaker of Westmeath Irish passed on, yet almost nothing has been written about the dialect or dialects of Irish one spoken in the county. A considered look at the evidence in this article reveals both Connacht and Ulster influences.
“Irish? Was that ever spoken here at all?” Is mór an seans gur freagra den sórt seo a bhainfeadh caint ar Ghaeilge na hIarmhí as an gnáthdhuine sa lá atá inniu ann, i gContae na hIarmhí. Baineann an Ghaeilge, dar le go leor, le tréimhse atá i bhfad siar, le saol atá caite agus ceilte orainn go deo. Ach tá fianaise ar an teanga ar gach aon taobh dúinn. Féach ar ainmneacha bailte fearainn, ar bhailiúcháin bhéaloidis agus ar liostaí focal. Éist, fiú, le tuin an Bhéarla sa chontae agus lena stór focal agus tá rian den Ghaeilge ann go fóill. Ní dócha go bhfuil 100 bliain ann ó cailleadh an duine deireanach le Gaeilge na hIarmhí, ach is ar éigean a scríobhadh tada ó shin ar an gcanúint nó ar na canúintí Gaeilge a labhraítí tráth sa taobh sin tíre. Déantar scagadh san alt seo ar an bhfianaise mar atá agus sonraítear tréithe Ultacha agus tréithe Connachtacha san fhianaise sin.
Contributors: Aengus Finnegan (DCU), Charles Doherty (RSAI), Matthew Stout (St Pat’s, DCU), Kieran O’Conor (NUIG), Paul Naessens (NUIG), Rory Sherlock (NUIG), Harman Murtagh (Athlone IT), Bernadette Cunningham (RIA), Rolf Loeber (U Pittsburgh), Mary Shine Thompson (St Pat’s, DCU), Gearóid O’Brien (Westmeath County Library).
Bernadette Cunningham is deputy librarian at the Royal Irish Academy. Harman Murtagh was a senior lecturer at Athlone Institute of Technology. Both are past presidents of the Group for the Study of Irish Historic Settlement.
Maine or Muine? Hugh O’Neill and Knockdomny, Co. Westmeath
by Dr Aengus Finnegan
Knockdomny is a prominent hill (157m) and townland just west of Moate, Co. Westmeath. Two of the earliest and most significant attestations of this name are to be found in letters, one in English and one in Irish, which Hugh O’Neill addressed from his camp at Knockdomny in February 1600. The first part of this name is relatively straightforward, cnoc ‘hill’. The second part is less clear, consisting of either a compound dubhmaine, or two separate elements, dubh ‘black’, and maine ‘ ? ’. The lecture will discuss whether the final element is likely to be Maine, referring to the ancient territory of that name (towards the southern bounds of which Knockdomny lies), or whether it is merely the more mundane and commonplace muine ‘thicket’, compounded with dubh > dubhmuine ‘dark thicket’.
Annual Conference May 2012: Settlement in and around Lough Ree:
Abstract:
Title: The Placenames of Lough Ree
In this paper it is intended to discuss some of the names of islands and other features of Lough Ree. Basic methodologies employed in the study of Irish toponymy as well as the linguistic shift from Irish to English in the area during the 18th and 19th centuries will be touched upon by way of background.
Lough Ree is divided between three counties, Roscommon, Longford and Westmeath, with most of the larger islands being in either Longford or Westmeath. Some hundreds of placenames are recorded on the Ordnance Survey first edition maps of the lake (c. 80 are recorded in the portion in Co. Westmeath alone). Field work carried out on the island of Inchturk, Co. Westmeath, indicates the likelihood that many more are known locally, and remain unrecorded. (It will not be possible to examine each and every placename in this paper.)
A general survey of the placenames of the lake will reveal, for example, the relatively early date of many names of the larger islands as compared to adjacent townland names; light will also be shed on local Irish dialect features, and language shift in the area. For the purposes of this survey the placenames of Lough Ree will be assigned to three categories: (1) Early attested names of the larger islands (which are usually also townlands, and many of which were inhabited until recent times); (2) Smaller island and minor shoreline feature names which are apparently later in date, and exhibit dialect features of the Irish formerly spoken in the area; (3) English language navigational and feature names which have their origins in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Aengus Finnegan (Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh).
‘Meath na Gaeilge san Iarmhí – Prófíl na gCainteoirí Deireanacha’.
Dealraítear gur thosaigh meath ag teacht ar úsáid na Gaeilge ón dara leath den 18ú haois ar aghaidh i dtuaisceart Chúige Laighean. Síltear gur scaip an Béarla aneas tríd an gcúige, agus is cosúil go raibh sí beagnach imigh as codanna de Chontae na hIarmhí faoi thús an 19ú haois. Is in aice le Contae na Mí is faide a mhair an teanga, agus bhí cosúlachtaí canúna idir an dá chontae sna ceantair seo. San iarthar tá an cruth ar an scéal gur mhair an teanga beagán níos faide cois na Sionainne, agus go raibh cosúlachtaí canúna idir an Ghaeilge a labhraíodh ansin agus an Ghaeilge a labhraíodh díreach trasna na habhann i gCúige Chonnacht. In ainneoin go raibh an teanga imigh as stráicí móra den chontae roimh aimsir an Ghorta Mhóir, is cosúil gur mhair líon beag de chainteoirí dúchais isteach san 20ú haois. Caithfear súil ar na cainteoirí seo, ar an dáileadh a bhí acu, ar an oideachas a bhí orthu agus ar an aois a bhí orthu. Bunófar an scagadh seo ar na sonraí beatha atá ar fáil i nDaonáirimh 1901 agus 1911.
Nó:
Abstract
It is likely that the Irish language began to decline from the second half of the 18th Century in north Leinster. In the Baronies of Kilkenny West and Clonlonan it is likely that few or no native speakers of Irish remained by the beginning of the 20th Century. T he Irish of Westmeath has been placed with that of Ulster. The language seems to have remained longest in the north of the county, near Co. Meath, and there is some evidence of Ulster influence there. It seems likely that the language lingered later also at the other extreme of the County near the river Shannon. My research on the townland names of the two baronies mentioned above, which has included the examination of historical forms, and local forms, seems to indicate that the Irish of these two baronies was most influenced by that of eastern Connaught, which lies just across the Shannon, and was largely Irish speaking throughout the 19th Century. It is likely that the situation is similar to that of west Offaly, where Williams in examining the similarly scant traces of the language in placenames, folklore collections and local word-lists, has come to a similar conclusion.
The Topography of Bruidhean Da Choga or Bryanmore Hill
The Townland of Bryanmore Upper, in the Barony of Kilkenny West, Co. Westmeath is one subdivision of the former ballybetagh (baile biataigh) of Bruidhean Da Choga, the others being the adjacent townlands of Bryanmore Lower, Bryanbeg Upper and Bryanbeg Lower. Bruidhean Da Choga features in a famous medieval Irish tale called Togail Bruidne Da Choca; ‘The destruction of Da Coga’s hostel’
The principal topographical feature of the townland is the prominent furze-covered Bryanmore Hill (123m). On the south-western slope of the hill the remains of Bruíon Da Choga are to be found. Bruíon, (or in earlier Irish orthography; Bruidhean) usually signifies a hostel, or a large fairy dwelling. The extended landscape surrounding the hill contains a number of features which can be tentatively connected to the text, as well as a number of townlands which are mentioned in the text. This paper will explore theses traces in the landscape.