Administrative Land Divisions in Ireland [ Home | New | Search | Guide | Counties | Surnames | Music | Site Map | Links | Exit Frames | ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS OF IRELAND Although there are a number of sources that refer to Administrative (Geographical) Divisions; there seems to be one key source. Two books have been written concerning this topic, by Brian Mitchell: PARISH MAPS OF IRELAND Apollo, PA 1988 A NEW GENEALOGICAL ATLAS OF IRELAND Brian Mitchell has written "A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland", (c) 1986 Genealogical Publishing Co.. ISBN 0-8063-1152-5, Library of Congress 85-82530. It shows the counties, dioceses, and probate districts of Ireland, in addition to the parishes, baronies, and poor law unions of each county. Maps and text. (One known error in the book, parishes for Co. Kildare. NOTE: It does NOT show the location of Townlands. The publisher is at There are also other books available concerning this subject.

They are: TRACING YOUR IRISH ANCESTORS by John Grenham This book includes a series of maps covering all of the Catholic Parishes of Ireland and a county by county source guide. GENERAL ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF TOWNLANDS AND TOWNS, PARISH AND BARONIES OF IRELAND This book is based on the Census of Ireland for the year of 1851. It shows the barony, county, parish, and poor law union in which the 70,000 townlands were situated in that year. with appendices containing separate indexes of parishes and baronies. O.S. map # is in the first column of 'The Index' LDS microfice Map Numbers for Townlands In order to do Irish research accurately, there is a great need to understand the divisions where the person you are searching actually lived. A lot of people refer to their home as a town when it may actually be referring to a parish or maybe even a townland. This can be very confusing if not understood and may add a lot of unnecessary frustration on the part of the researcher. The first thing to do is to locate the parish that the townland is in.

This is best done by consulting a listing of parishes, cities, towns and place names to determine which parish, and what county the ancestor lived in. The above Index to Irish Townlands, Parishes, and Baronies will list the townlands and give a number of parishes, counties and baronies. This book may be located at most genealogical libraries. Also it can be searched online at the Archives of the Ordnance Survey at A bit of history. Boundries and names have changed repeatedly through the centuries. In 1584, the English created these new counties; Province of Ulster: Monaghan, Tyrone, Armagh, Coleraine, Cavan, Donegal, and Fermanagh. Tirconnell was formed into a county by the lord deputy Perrot, about 1585. Named Donegal after its chief town. He also created county Tyrone at the same period, from part of the ancient Tyrone. Province of Connaught: PROVINCES There are four provinces: Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connaught. Provinces are the largest division and generally reflect the ancient Irish kingdoms.

These correspond with the ancient territories controlled by four major Irish families: O'Neill in Ulster, O'Brien in Munster, O'Connor in Connaught, and MacMurrough in Leinster. COUNTIES The county is the principal unit of local government. There are twenty-six in the Republic of Ireland and six counties in Northern Ireland, for a total of 32 counties. Most document collections are organized on a county basis. The county division reflects the imposition of the Norman/English system of government on Ireland. The county network was begun in the 12th century and was completed in 1606 with the addition of County Wicklow. Boundaries generally reflected areas controlled by the lordships of major Gaelic families. Counties also are subdivisions of provinces, and people living in a province owed allegience to the ruling family of that province. Ulster has nine counties, six of which opted to remain in the United Kingdom at the time of the split in 1921, while the remaining three elected to join what is now the Republic of Ireland. The six counties that remained in the United Kingdom are: Antrim, Down, Armagh, Fermagh, Londonberry and Tyrone, which now comprise Northern Ireland.

The other three: Donegal, Monaghan, and Cavan are part of the Republic of Ireland. To see the county divisions, check the following web sites: BARONIES A Barony is an important county subdivision. It is thought to be a Norman division although it's precise origin is unknown.. They are also believed to have been established during the government land surveys in the seventeenth century. This is now an obsolete division. It was widely used in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. There were 331 of these, each ruled by a baron, but the boundaries tended to reflect the holdings of the major Irish clans. There are generally between seven and ten baronies per county, although Cork has twenty and Louth has only four. Census records also mention half-baronies which are when a barony occupies parts of two counties. POOR LAW UNION In 1838, the Poor Relief Act was put into effect and Ireland was divided into regions or "unions" in which the inhabitants were to be held financially responsible for the paupers in their region. In other words the tax payers paid for the poor.

These unions had boundaries that overlapped county boundaries and were usually centered around a large market town. Initially there were 130 and eventually by 1850, there were 163 poor law unions. Between 1838 and 1852, there were 163 workhouses built throughout the country, each at the center of the union. The workhouses were normally situated in the large market town, and the Poor Law Union comprised the town and it's catchment area, with the result that the Unions in many cases ignored the existing boundaries of parish and county. The workhouse in the town provided relief for the unemployed and destitute, generally under very harsh conditions. Records were kept of the inhabitants. These can provide useful research material. In 1898, the Local Government Act adopted the Poor Law Unions as the basic administrative unit in place of the civil parishes or baronies. The unions were subdivided into 829 Registration Districts and 3751 District Electoral Divisions. Townlands were arranged according to these divisions, with parishes and baronies being retained only to make comparisons with records gathered before 1898.

Poor Law Unions were subdivided into dispensary districts following the 1851 Medical Charities Act. SUPERINTENDENT REGISTRAR'S DISTRICT Poor Law Unions became known as Superintendent Registrar's districts in order to record births, marriages, and deaths as a result of the 1863 Acts for the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. REGISTRAR'S DISTRICT Dispensary Districts became known as Registrar's districts in order to record births, marriages and deaths as a result of the 1863 Acts for the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. There are three kinds of parish: Quod Civilia, where there is a parish which is used for civil purposes. Quod Omnia, where the parish boundaries are the same for both Civil and Ecclesiastical purposes. Quod Sacra. A parish for Ecclesiastical purposes only. CIVIL PARISH This was used extensively in surveys from the seventeenth century, based on early medieval maonastic and early Christian church settlements in Ireland. By 1841 the population of Ireland had risen to 8,175,124 and this caused a further dividing of the parish boundaries.

This may be when FORMOYLE was created. New parishes were created by dividing the older ones, thus causing townlands to appear in different parishes in the records. For example: Carrick Parish in County Derry was created by taking eleven townlands from the adjoining parishes of Balteagh (3), Bovevagh (3) and Tamlaght Finlagan (5). There were either 2428 or 2508 (records vary) Civil Parishes in Ireland. They often break both the county and barony boundaries. The Civil Parishes were the major administrative division until 1898, therefore, becoming important civil divisions in their own right. PARISH LOCATOR from GENUKI TOWNLAND This is the smallest administrative division and on average covers about 350 acres It is the most ancient geographical unit in Ireland and the one in which researchers struggle to identify when searching for their ancestors. Many townlands share the same name. For example: there are 56 Kilmores and 47 Dromores. County Derry has 1247 townlands grouped into 46 civil parishes. A full list is available in the Valuation Office.

The townland was named at an early period and often the name was derived from some local physical feature or landmark such as a mountain, bog, forest, a village, or a church. The townland became standardized as the unit of measurement during the seventeenth century surveys. The townland names were originally in Irish Gaelic, but they became modified as a result of English speaking clerks writing the names as they heard them, using the Latin alphabet to approximate Gaelic word sounds. The Ordnance Survey completed in 1846 contains maps at the scale of six inches to the mile of each of the 60,462 townlands in Ireland. An index to these was published by Alexander Thom in 1861 and reprinted by the Genealogical Publishing Company in 1981 under the title GENERAL ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO THE TOWNLANDS AND TOWNS, PARISHES, AND BARONIES OF IRELAND. "When testifying before the Select Committee on County Cess, Griffith was asked whether the boundary of a townland is the boundary of a parish, are the boundaries in any degree commensurate?

He responded: 'The boundaries of parishes are always boundaries of townlands; that is to say, one townland cannot be contained in two parishes; it sometimes happens that an estate may lie on both sides of the boundary of a parish, and that the townland in each parish is called by the same name, and is considered to be one townland, but in such cases I have always divided the townland, and added the word upper or lower, east or west, to the original name, to serve to distinguish them. As each parish will be separately assessed, it is necessary that no confusion should arise as to the boundaries of any denomination or division belonging to it, consequently in all cases the boundary of a parish must likewise be the boundary of a townland as far as that parish or the county assessment is concerned.'" Townlands are grouped into Civil Parishes, which are grouped into Counties, which are grouped into provinces. (Type in townland, it lists what counties have that one.

Type in county, it gives the townlands.) PARISH (ROMAN CATHOLIC) While the Established Church (Church of Ireland) used the Civil Parish as its unit of administration, the Roman Catholic Church, as a result of the Reformation of the 16th century, developed its own parish structure. There is a book that maps the Roman Catholic Parishes to the Civil Parishes so that one can locate a given townland in either structure. In government records, the Civil Parish is the one that is used. See: A TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF IRELAND, by Samuel Lewis. Written in 1837. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Company in 1984. A bishop's diocese was comprised of parishes. Many parishes were villages with a church and a clergyman. Larger towns and cities would contain several parishes. Records of British baptisms, marriages and burials have been maintained by law since 1538. Not all chuches date back to this date and also not all clergymen kept accurate records. Most records were jumbled together and some were written in Latin.

In 1732 all records were required to be written in English. During the 18th century the baptisms, marriages and burials were maintained in separate pages or registers. In the early years it was normal to only record the father's full name and that of his child for baptismal entries, therefore making it very difficult to search records. DIOCESE Three ecclesiastical synods in the 12th century, around 1101-1152, imposed a diocesan structure of four provinces: Armagh, Cashel, Dublin, and Tuam. With each province headed by an Archbishop. Under them were 22 bishops, each in charge of a diocese. The boundaries of the diocese have remained constant and are used by both the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. Diocese boundaries have no relation to county boundaries, however. In 1834, the four provinces were reduced to two: Armagh and Dublin. Both Erenagh and Co-arb functions go back long before the introduction of Catholicism to Ireland, and are parts to the old Celtic religious organisation.

Herenach, erenagh, and airchinnech: Some families lived on the Church lands and their leaders held the hereditary title of herenach. Certain families were associated with particular parcels usually called termons. The Erenagh was appointed to his position by he Chief or Urragh, so the position wasn't hereditary per se, although it often was so in practice. The herenach was expected to maintain the Church buildings in his termon and support the Bishop and clergy from the proceeds of the land. He was therefore a territorial ruler of sorts. These families in the county of Monaghan were erenaghs; HANRATTY, O'DUFFY, McALERNEYS, MceNANEYS, CARBRYS, McCONNELLS, TRAYNORS, McCLAVES, or Hands, KEENANS, MURRAYS, LAMBS, and O'GOANS,or Smiths. The Co-arb was the president of a collegiate church. (i.e Abbot of a Celtic monastry.) and had the privilege of clerical orders.

As a successor of the founder, he had a seat in the founder's Abbey, a stall in the choir and a voice in the chapter. Although the co-arb was in orders, he was usually married, and if one of his sons qualified by learning, he would be chosen by the Dean and Chapter to be Coarb. Thus the Coarb-ship was in a manner hereditary. Towards the end of the 16th century, all parishes had a Parson and Vicar, instead of a Coarb and Erenagh, and the upkeep of the churches was done by tithes. At the time of the Plantation of Ulster, Sir John Davies went to considerable trouble to determine the meaning of both these words, as their functions were still current in Ulster until then. (Fermanagh,under the Maguires, and parts of Donegal and Tyrone were the last strongholds of the old Celtic religion.) PROBATE DISTRICT In 1858 a principal registry and eleven district registries were established to prove wills and grant administrations. The boundaries of these districts were either baronies or counties.

Acknowledgements: Materials for this writing were obtained with the help from the following individuals: Possum--a member of the Fianna study group. Gave assistance in finding materials concerning Brian Mitchell's book; PARISH MAPS OF IRELAND hla--a member from the Ireland chat sessions sponsored by the IIGS. Assistance was given concerning Brian Mitchell's book; PARISH MAPS OF IRELAND Diana Hanson--genealogist, and instructor of a course called Ireland Genealogy. Some of the information was obtained through her Lesson number five--Parish Registers My name is Fran Pugh. I am researching in County Down, Northern Ireland, for the surnames: GAMBLE, POLLOCK, BELL, and HARRISON. Any help assistance would be greatly appreciated. Email me at: far@means.net 'Hayes Index' - Another resource Detailed maps were made of many estates in Ireland. Most of these maps are among the thousands of items listed in "Manuscript Sources for the Study of Irish Civilization" by Richard Hayes. They are indexed both by place and by person. Always check both; a map may only be entered under the largest townland name.

The "person index" would list the family name of the estate owner, which is presumably the name on the deeds you are using. "Manuscript Sources..." (aka Hayes index) has about 15 volumes and was an expensive series of books to buy. You will only find them in a large library. Many of the items indexed have never been microfilmed and are only available in Dublin in the National Archives, National Library Manuscripts Department, etc. . Ireland's counties and provinces | Ireland.com Home Discover Ireland Ireland's counties and provinces The island of Ireland is made up of four provinces and 32 counties, and they all have their own unique charms and traditions Glenveagh National Park, County Donegal Connacht Connacht is largely made up of counties on Ireland's western coast. Roscommon is the only county landlocked county in the province. Connacht is home to stunning scenery, including Connemara , Achill Island, and Sligo’s world-renowned surfing coast. Many parts of the province retain their very strong Gaelic traditions, in particular the Aran Islands. The Irish language is spoken throughout Connacht's Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) areas.

The five counties of Connacht are Galway , Leitrim , Mayo , Roscommon and Sligo . Clogher Bay, Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry Leinster This eastern province is home to the Republic of Ireland’s capital city Dublin , originally founded by the Vikings. Today, rarely a week goes by without some form of festival happening in the city. Leinster is now the most populated province on the island, with over half the population of the Republic of Ireland living there. The area was heavily colonized over the centuries and, as a result, it's home to many fine examples of medieval, Norman, Georgian and Neolithic architecture. Carlow , Dublin , Kildare , Kilkenny , Laois , Longford , Louth , Meath , Offaly , Westmeath , Wexford and Wicklow are the counties that make up the Leinster region. Munster Two of Ireland’s largest counties are found in Munster: Cork and Kerry . Both have their own names they like to go by. In Cork they consider themselves the “People’s Republic of Cork”, because if there is one thing people from Cork love, it’s Cork.

It's also affectionately known as the gourmet county, because of its excellent culinary expertise. “The Kingdom of Kerry” is renowned for its spectacular golf courses and it has won the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championships more times than any other team. Plus it has lush green scenery and a stunning coastline that is coveted by visitors while the town of Dingle boasts its own resident dolphin called Fungi (so popular he even has his own Twitter account .) The lunar Burren and Cliffs of Moher are in County Clare and several ancient castles populate the counties of Limerick , Tipperary and Waterford . Waterford is renowned for its exquisite hand-cut crystal glass. Munster’s counties are Clare , Cork , Kerry , Limerick , Tipperary and Waterford . Ulster The combined influences of several different cultures – the Ulster Scots, the Gaels, the Normans and the Anglo-Normans – have sculpted and colored the Ulster landscape in a particularly unique manner.

Natural beauties such as Donegal’s Glenveagh National Park, the Mourne Mountains in County Down , Fermanagh’s Lakelands and the Giant’s Causeway in Antrim (seen in all its glory here in Ben Joyner’s competition winning video ) make this part of the island a spectacular place to visit. Meanwhile, the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast city , played its part in making maritime history as the birthplace of the world's most famous ship: the Titanic . The counties of Ireland – Antrim to Dublin – introduction. ► Counties M–W The counties of Ireland were created between the late 12th century, when the Anglo Normans invaded, and the early 17th century, and tend to follow the ancient lines drawn between powerful clan families. Dublin was the first county to be set up with a sheriff empowered with legal, military and administrative controls. From that point, the process of creating the counties of Ireland spread out mainly eastwards and did not reach the north until the early 1600s. Antrim and Down were the first Ulster counties created, with the rest remaining 'un-shired' until about 1585.

It was Wicklow, however, that in 1606 became the very last of the counties of Ireland to be formed. Some of the names of the counties of Ireland have changed over the years. You may well encounter these alternative names when you are looking at historical and genealogical documents. You may come across: Caterlaugh or Caterlagh, rather than County Carlow, on medieval maps, County Coleraine, which became County Derry, which is also known as County Londonderry (the names are interchangeable), Queen's County (not County Queens), which is now County Laois and sometimes written as Leix, and King's County (not County Kings), which is now County Offaly. There also used to be the counties of Nether Tyrone and Upper Tyrone which were merged to become simply County Tyrone, and, until 1606, the county of Desmond which was shared between Cork and Kerry. Use the Quick Links above for details of the counties of Ireland beginning with letters F to Z, Antrim In Irish, the county is called Aon troim, meaning Solitary place.

It is not so solitary these days, with a population density of 199/km2, second only to Dublin. Its spectacular Causeway Coast, a UNESCO Heritage Site, is a stawart of the Irish tourism industry. It is situated in the province of Ulster and is part of Northern Ireland (UK). In land area, it is the 9th largest of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland but it is second only to County Dublin in terms of size of population. Its main towns are Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Belfast, Carrickfergus and Lisburn, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Giant's Causeway, is on its north coast. There are two nicknames for folks from Antrim (both usually restricted to sporting references): the Glensmen and the Saffrons. Linen manufacturing was once an important industry in Antrim and vast swathes of flax were cultivated in the countryside.

(More about Irish Linen and the flax plant .) Antrim's most common surnames in 1890 were Smith, Johnston, Stewart, Wilson, Thompson, O·Neill, Campbell, Moore, Bell, Robinson, Millar, Brown, Boyd, Scott and Graham. Griffith's Valuation was carried out in Antrim in 1861. Armagh In Irish, the county is called Árd Mhacha, meaning Macha's Hill. It is situated in the province of Ulster and is part of Northern Ireland (UK). Its main centres of population are Armagh, Lurgan and Portadown and it is known as both the Orchard County and the Cathedral County, the latter on account of it having two magnificent cathedrals, both called St Patrick's, facing one another on rival hilltops in Armagh City. One is Protestant, the other Roman Catholic. Surnames associated with Armagh, based on 1890 records, include Murphy, Hughes, Wilson, Campbell, O'Hare, Smith, McCann and Donnelly.

Armagh was the last of the counties of Ireland to be surveyed by Richard Griffith (in 1864) for his Primary Valuation. Carlow Browne's Hill Dolmen In Irish, the county is called Ceatharlach, meaning Four Lakes, and it is the second smallest of the counties of Ireland (the smallest is Louth). Located in the province of Leinster, its main towns are Carlow and Bagenalstown. Both are on the River Barrow. For this reason, people from County Carlow are often referred to as Barrowsiders. They have a few other nicknames, too, among them the Fighting Cocks and the Scallion Eaters. You may see Carlow referred to as Caterlaugh or Caterlagh on some antique maps. Just outside Carlow Town is Browne's Hill Dolmen, a 5,000-year-old portal tomb that has the biggest capstone in Europe, weighing in at over 100 tons. This is the reason for yet another nickname: the Dolmen County. Surnames associated with County Carlow, based on 1890 records, include Murphy, Byrne, Doyle, Nolan and Neill.

Griffith's Valuation was carried out in Carlow in 1852-3. Cavan In Irish, the county is called Cabhán, meaning a Hollow. The source of the River Shannon and a good scattering of lakes lie within its landlocked borders. Although in the province of Ulster, Cavan is one of the three counties of Ireland (the others are Donegal and Monaghan) separated from the rest of its province since 1921 when the island was split between Northern Ireland (UK) and the Republic. Cavan is in the Republic and its inhabitants are known by the sporting nickname of the Blues Brothers. The county is also referred to as the Lakes County. The main settlement in this sparsely populated county is Cavan town, once the stronghold of the O'Reillys who ruled the ancient kingdom of East Breffni. Based on 1890 records, the most common surnames in County Cavan include Reilly, Smith, Brady, Lynch, McCabe, Clarke, Farrelly, Maguire, Sheridan and Galligan. Griffith's Valuation was carried out in Cavan in 1856-7.

Clare In Irish, the county is called Clar, meaning a level piece of land). Clare is one of the west coast counties of Ireland and is in the province of Munster. Its main town is Ennis, a popular destination for tourists hoping to catch an Irish music session. The county had a population of just over 100,000 in 2002, less than two-fifths what it was in 1831. Among its outstanding geological features are the Burren, Europe's largest area of limestone pavement, and the Cliffs of Moher. The latter is one of the main tourist attractions of Ireland and many visitors rent Irish cottages on a self-catering basis for a week or two to fully explore one of the most unusual and evocative counties of Ireland. It is known as the Banner County, on account of the banners displayed at Daniel O'Connell's so-called Monster Meetings in Clare in support of Catholic Emancipation in 1828.

Surnames associated with County Clare, based on 1890 records, include McMahon, McNamara, Moloney, O'Brien, McInerney, Kelly, Keane, Murphy, Griffin, Halloran and Ryan. Griffith's Valuation was carried out in Clare in 1855. Cork Youghal's Clock Gate In Irish, the county is called Corcaigh, meaning Marsh. Located in the far south west of the island, it is the largest of all the counties of Ireland, both north and south, and is in the province of Munster. Its nickname is the Rebel County (due to its history of fighting for independence) and its red and white checkered flag is known as the Blood and Bandage. Folk from Cork City, which sits on the River Lee, are known as Leesiders. The county town is Cork and it was from its port that many hundreds of emigrants set sail for America. The port was recorded as Queenstown on ship manifestos but is now known as Cobh (pronounced Cove).

Surnames associated with County Cork, based on 1890 records, include Sullivan, Murphy, McCarthy, Mahoney, Donovan, Walsh, O'Brien, Callaghan, Leary, Crowley, Collins, Driscoll, Connell, Barry, Cronin, Buckley, and Daly. Richard Griffiths carried out his Valuation survey in 1851-53. Derry In Irish, the county is called Doire, meaning Oak Wood, and explains why Derry is known as the Oak-leaf County. It is also known as Londonderry. The terms, for both the county and its main town, are interchangeable. It used to be known as County Coleraine. Derry is in the province of Ulster and is part of Northern Ireland (UK). Among its principal towns are Derry/Londonderry (whose encircling walls were built in 1613), Coleraine, Magherafelt and Ballymoney. Magilligan Strand is Ireland's longest beach (10km/6m).

The county's most common surnames, based on 1890 records, include Doherty, McLaughlin, Kelly, Bradley, Brown, McCloskey, Campbell, Mullan, Smith, O'Neill and Kane. Derry was surveyed by Richard Griffith for his valuation in 1858-9. Donegal In Irish, the county is called Dún na nGall, meaning Fortress of the foreigners. It is one of the three Ulster province counties within the Republic and its principal town is Letterkenny. Inishtrahull Island, 7km from the mainland, is the most northerly point of Ireland. Donegal has two nicknames: O'Donnell County, in reference to the region's medieval lords, and the Forgotten County, on account of its remoteness from the rest of the Republic. People from Donegal are sometimes referred to as Herring Gutters. Donegal is famous as the home of Irish tweed, and its westerly regions are part of the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking areas).

Surnames associated with County Donegal, based on 1890 records, include Gallagher, Doherty, Boyle, O'Donnell, McLaughlin, Sweeney, Ward, Kelly, McGinely, McFadden, McGowan, Duffy and Campbell. Griffith's Valuation was carried out in 1857. If you've got Donegal ancestors, be sure to check out Donegal Genealogy , a free website run by Lindel Buckley and full to the brim with links to Donegal sources. Down Mount Stewart House & Gardens, County Down In Irish, the county is called Dún, meaning Fortress. It is in Ulster province and is part of Northern Ireland (UK). Its principal towns are Banbridge and Newry (where, in 1578, the first Protestant church in Ireland was built). Although many counties of Ireland have associations with St Patrick, Down has the deepest connections with the saint as this was where he landed in AD432 and first preached to the locals. It is known as the Mourne County, in reference to the stirring scenery of the Mourne Mountains.

The county's most frequently occuring surnames, according to an 1890 survey, were Thompson, Smith, Campbell, Patterson, Martin, Wilson, Graham, Johnston and Murray . Richard Griffith surveyed Down for his Valuation in 1863-4. Dublin Dublin is in the province of Leinster and home to the sprawling capital city where more than a quarter of the Republic's population now lives. The city that was to become this capital was first settled by Celts in AD140 and became a Viking base in AD860. The former settlement was known as Ath Cliath, meaning Hurdle Ford; this is the Irish language name for the city. The Viking settlement was known as An Dubh Linn, meaning Black Pool of water; the anglicised version of this name is Dublin. The city was made the island's capital by the invading Anglo-Normans in 1204. Together with some surrounding land, it was long known as the Pale (this is where the phrase 'beyond the pale' originates). Today the city is the main point of arrival for visitors on the ferries from Wales and England. The Republic's main airport lies to the north of the city.

Dubliners have a number of nicknames, among them the Dubs, the Metropolitans, the Jacks, the Liffeysiders and (not so politely) the Jackeens. Surnames associated with County Dublin, based on 1890 records, include Byrne, Kelly, Doyle, Murphy, Smith, O'Brien, Kavanagh, Dunne, O'Neill, Rieilly, NOlan, Connor, Walsh and Farrell. In 1848-51, County Dublin became the first of the counties of Ireland to be surveyed by Richard Griffith for his Valuation. Related Pages Cities Ireland | Towns Ireland | Towns & Town in Ireland Adare Located in the scenic south west of Ireland, the village of Adare dates back to 1200 A.D. It is widely known as a major Irish tourist attraction and is regarded as one of the prettiest and most picturesque towns in Ireland. During its long history, Adare, as a strategic location, has been the subject of many conquests, wars and rebellions.

The old town of Adare, which stood on the northern bank of the river Maigue, near the Desmond castle, was destroyed during the 16th century wars. The present village was built in the 19th century. The early developments were very haphazard but from about 1820, streets and buildings were laid out according to the then Earl of Dunraven’s design. He built houses and rented them, under various agreements, to his tenants, working on his estate lands.&nb... read more Armagh Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh. Although classed as a medium-sized town, Armagh was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994. Its population of 14,590 (2001 Census) makes it the least-populated city in both Northern Ireland and on the island of Ireland and the fourth smallest in the United Kingdom....

read more Belfast Belfast (from the Irish: Béal Feirste meaning "Mouth of the (River) Farset")is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of devolved government and legislative assembly in Northern Ireland. It is the largest urban area in Northern Ireland and the province of Ulster, the fifteenth-largest city in the United Kingdom and the second largest city on the island of Ireland. The city suffered greatly during the period of disruption, conflict, and destruction called the Troubles, but latterly has undergone a return to a sustained period of calmness and growth. Originally a town in County Antrim, the county borough of Belfast was created when it was granted city status by Queen Victoria in 1888. The name, Belfast, is the anglicised version of the Irish Béal Feirste, which ... read more Blarney Blarney is a village in south of Ireland, located just 8km of Cork City. Blarney is set in beautiful wooded countryside, steeped in history and magical charm offers the visitor a host of wonderful things to do and places to discover. The Centre of the village is dominated by The Square which is one of the finest things that impresses the first time visitors.

Blarney is one of the few villages in Ireland which has such a fine amenity, and today it continues to be a focal point of village life. Blarney village is a major tourist attraction in County Cork. For many visitors one of the priorities is to kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle in order to receive the gift of “the Blarney” or known as the “gift of the gab” as the locals call it. “There i... read more Clifden Clifden is a town on the coast of County Galway, Ireland and being Connemara's largest town, it is often referred to as "the Capital of Connemara". It is located on the Owenglen River where it flows into Clifden Bay, set between the Atlantic Ocean, 12 Ben Mountains and preserved boglands. The town is linked to Galway city by the N59 and is a popular tourist destination for those touring Connemara. An area at long last recognised as a new popular destination and not just a place to 'breeze through'.

Enhanced by spectacular scenery, championship golfing, horse-riding, walking, cycling, hill walking, beaches, fishing, scubadiving, painting, national parks, abbeys, castle ruins and over 5,000 years of living history. Peruse the many shopping choices in Clifden from sweater shops, quality gift ... read more Cork Cork is the second largest city in the state and the third most populous on the island of Ireland. The city is built on the River Lee, which flows through Cork city in two main channels, so that you find yourself constantly crossing bridges and hence Cork City's coat of arms bears the motto 'A Safe Harbour for Ships'. St. Finbarr is the founder and patron saint. He founded a monastery in the seventh century where St. Finn Barre's Cathedral now stands, and it grew into an extensive and wealthy establishment. It attracted the attention of the Viking sea-pirates who raided and burned the infant city, but returned in later years t... read more Derry Derry or Londonderry (Irish: Doire or Doire Cholm Chille, meaning Oak wood of Colm Cille), often called the Maiden City, is a city in Northern Ireland.

The old walled city of Londonderry lies on the west bank of the River Foyle with the location of old Derry on the east bank, the present city now covers both banks (Cityside to the west and Waterside to the east) and the river is spanned by two bridges. Derry was the last city in the British Isles to be enclosed with defensive walls, and has the most complete series of city walls in the islands. It is one of the few cities in Europe that never saw these fortifications breached. Derry is very near the border with County Donegal in Ireland. The city has had a very close relationship with what is now County Donegal for centuries. The person tr... read more Dingle Dingle is a harbour town set on the Dingle Peninsula in South-West of Ireland. The town also is gateway to the Gaeltacht where Gaelic is the first language. This unique town is full of surprises and waiting to be discovered. The town is renowned for its restaurants, most of which offers excellent local seafood. There is a wide variety of restaurants in Dingle, from burgers and chips to fine dining. Most places today have several vegetarian selections in their menus.

Dingle has long been well supplies with pubs, in recent years the number has hovered around 52. There are large, modern pubs and pubs so small that five’s a crowd. At night, the town comes to life as the strains of the bodhran, tin whistle, the fiddle and the accordion fill the night air as the Guinness flows. ... read more Doolin A small fishing village, also known as Fisherstreet, on a sandy bay some 3km from Aill na Searrach, the northern end of the Cliffs of Moher. Doolin is world-famous for its wealth of Irish folk music and in recent years has been attracting crowds to spontaneous sessions and festivals or 'fleadhanna' of Irish and international music. Lots of music pubs and restaurants. Overlooked by Doonagore Castle, an unusual circular tower within a walled bawn enclosure, which has been restored as a residence. Nearer the sea, Iron Age burial mounds dot the surrounding landscape. One of Doolin's claims to fame is that it is the main setting for the PlayStation 3 game Folklore.

According to the game's storyline, the Netherworld, the world of the dead is a realm that can only be accessed from one place ... read more Downpatrick Downpatrick is one of Ireland's most ancient and historic towns. It takes its name from a fort which once stood on the hill that dominates the town and on which Down Cathedral stands. Ptolemy, about the year AD 130, includes it (in Latin) as Dunum in his list of towns of Ireland. The old name of the town was Rath Celtair named after the fictional warrior of Ulster called Celtchar who resided there and who fought alongside Ulster King Conchobar mac Neasa (Conor Mac Nessa) and is mentioned in the Ulster Cycle and, in particular, the Táin Bó Cuailgne . The name was superseded by the name Dún Lethglaise then Dún Dá Lethglas which in turn gave way, in the 13th century, to the present name of Dún Phádraig (anglicised as Downpatrick) - from the town's connection with the patron saint of Ireland.

Saint Patrick was reputedly buried here in 461 on Cathedral Hill, within the grounds of Down Cathedral. His grave is still a place of pilgrimage on St Patricks Day (17 March each year). The Saint Patrick Visitor Centre in Downpatrick is purpose-built to tell the story of St Patrick.... read more Dublin Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region. Founded as a Viking settlement, the city has been Ireland's primary city for most of the island's history since medieval times. Today, it is an economic, administrative and cultural centre for the island of Ireland and has one of the fastest growing populations of any European capital city. The city has a world-famous literary history, having produced many prominent literary figures, including Nobel laureates William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett. Other influential writers and playwrights from Dublin include Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift and the creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker. It is ar... read more Edinburgh Edinburgh, the inspiring capital city of Scotland, where centuries of history meet a vibrant, cosmopolitan city in an unforgettable setting.

Situated in Lothian, on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth, Edinburgh is rich in associations with the past and has many historic buildings, including Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, the churches of St. Giles, Greyfriars and the Canongate, and an extensive Georgian New Town built in the 18th century. Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town are jointly listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city hosts the annual Edinburgh International Festival, which is one of many events that run between the end of July and early September each year. The best known of these events are the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Edinburgh International Festival, the ... read more Galway Galway is the only city in the province of Connacht in Ireland. In Irish, Galway is also called Cathair na Gaillimhe: "City of Galway". Galway city also has a reputation amongst Irish cities for being associated with the Irish language, music, song and dancing traditions - it is sometimes referred to as the 'Bilingual Capital of Ireland'.

The city takes its name from the Gaillimh river (River Corrib) that formed the western boundary of the earliest settlement, which was called Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe, or the fort at the bottom of the Gaillimh. The word Gaillimh means "stony" as in "stony river". (the mythical and alternative derivations are given in History of Galway.) The city also bears the nickname City of the Tribes / Cathair na dTreabh, because fourteen[1] “Tribe... read more Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, and the third largest in the United Kingdom. It is situated on the River Clyde in the country's West Central Lowlands.Glasgow grew from a small rural settlement on the River Clyde to become one of the largest seaports in Britain. Expanding from the medieval bishopric and royal burgh, and the later establishment of the University of Glasgow in the 15th century, it became a major centre of the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th century. From the 18th century the city also grew as one of Great Britain's main hubs of transatlantic trade with North America and the West Indies.

In Glasgow, Scotland’s city of style, you can find world-class attractions, museums and galleries, stunning architecture, works by renowned designer and artist Charles Rennie... read more Kenmare Kenmare (Irish: An Neidín) is a small town in the south of County Kerry, Ireland. The Irish name for the town 'An Neidín' translates into English as 'The Little Nest'. The name Kenmare is the anglicised form of Ceann Mhara "head of the sea", which refers to the furthest point inland reached by the sea. Kenmare is located at the head of Kenmare Bay sometimes called the Kenmare River (An Ribhéar) where the Roughty River (An Ruachtach) flows into the sea, and at the junction of the Iveragh Peninsula and the Beara Peninsula. The traditional Irish name of the bay was Inbhear Scéine from the celtic inver, which is recorded in the 11th Century narrative Lebor Gabála Érenn as the arrival point of the mythological Irish ancestor Partholón. It is also... read more Kilkenny Kilkenny is the county town of County Kilkenny in Ireland.

It is situated on both banks of the River Nore, at the centre of County Kilkenny in the province of Leinster in the south-east of Ireland. Kilkenny City is administered by a borough council and has a Mayor. The population of the town and its environs is approximately 25,000. The majority of the population of Kilkenny City live outside the borough boundary. From an ecclesiastical foundation, Kilkenny was the ancient capital of the kingdom of Ossory. The town was established, then a city, in 1609 by royal charter. Kilkenny was the capital of Confederate Ireland between 1642 and 1649. The seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Ossory and the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cashel and Ossory are in Kilkenny. Kilkenny is famous for its mediev... read more Killarney This little town is world-famous due to its exquisite location beside lakes and mountains.Take a horse-drawn jaunting car ride through the grounds of the Killarney National Park to Muckross House and Gardens.

Tour the house with a local guide to learn about the history and lifestyles of previous owners and perhaps stroll through the gardens on the shores of Muckross Lake. As well as being a perfect location from which to explore the south western region of Ireland, for centuries the Killarney Valley has been recognised far and wide as Ireland's most beautiful destination - being aptly titled as "Heaven's Reflex". It inspired Poet Laureate Alfred Austin to write - "If mountain, wood and water harmoniously blent, constitute the most perfect and adequate loveliness that nature presents, ... read more Kinsale The medieval town of Kinsale is not just about food, it’s also about traditional bars, beautiful buildings, narrow streets, shops and galleries and lots of activities on land and sea. You'll find Kinsale's not just a place - it's more a state of mind! Drive to Kinsale, a delightful old town on a narrow inlet of the sea. Formerly a fishing and merchant town, today it is popular for sailing and gourmet food. Join a local guide for a short walking tour to see some historic places.

Start at Charles Fort to understand the importance of Kinsale’s location for trading and defense and then walk around some of the old streets. Kinsale can easily claim its place amongst Ireland's most historic locations for this has been a centre of population, commerce, trade and fishing far beyond memo... read more Limerick Limerick is located in the Mid-West Region of Ireland and is also part of the province of Munster. Limerick City is the hub and capital of the Shannon Region and the 3rd largest city in the Republic of Ireland. Its colourful and fascinating history is evident everywhere and proudly maintained. From the times more than a thousand years ago, when the Vikings first developed it, to the present day, Limerick has been the greatest seaport of the west of Ireland. Its magnificent river, the lordly Shannon, has been part of one of Ireland's oldest routes. In early medieval time’s hermits, heroes, soldiers, raiders, students and pilgrims, all travelled along this 'water highway' from the Atlantic Ocean through to the Irish midlands and beyond. Buildings ancient and historical, middle-aged an...

read more Listowel Listowel is a market town positioned in the very heart of North Kerry in County Kerry, Ireland. Listowel is situated on the River Feale at the head of the North Kerry limestone plain, about 28km (17miles) from the county town, Tralee. Town’s long history dates back to 1303 where it first appears in the Plea Roll. The town developed around Listowel Castle, fortress to the Fitzmaurice family, and its significant Square. The last bastion against Queen Elizabeth I in the Desmond campaign, Listowel Castle was built in the 15th century and was the last fortress of the Geraldines to be subdued. It fell after 28 days siege to Sir Charles Wilmot on the 5th November, 1600, who had the castle's garrison executed in the following days. The castle became the property of the Hare family, the... read more Roundstone The village of Roundstone lies on the western arm of Bertraghboy bay in Connemara, Co. Galway, 48 miles (77km) north-west of Galway city.

The village is beautifully set on one of the most spectacular coastal drives in Europe overlooking the Atlantic at the foot of Errisbeg Mountain. Enjoy the views of the island-dotted Atlantic coastline and the Clifden bog from Errisbeg, a small mountain behind the village of Roundstone. The vicinity is rich in points of historical, geological and scenic interest. The remains of numerous early Christian settlements have been found on the islands along this coast. At the northern point of Inishnee, the long island across the bay from Roundstone, stand the remains of an ancient monument to Saint Brendan. From the island’s southern, point, an impressiv... read more St. Andrews St Andrews is a former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, named after Saint Andrew the Apostle. The town is home to the University of St Andrews, the third oldest university in the English-speaking world and the oldest in Scotland. The University is an integral part of the burgh, and during term time students make up approximately one third of the town's population.There has been an important church in St Andrews since at least the 8th century, and a bishopric since at least the 11th century.

The settlement grew to the west of St Andrews cathedral with the southern side of the Scores to the north and the Kinness burn to the south. The burgh soon became the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland, a position which was held until the Scottish Reformation. The famous cathedral, the... read more Waterford Waterford City is the capital of the Sunny South East of Ireland and Ireland's oldest city. The city hosts a number of festivals during the year including the ever-popular Spraoi. A natural playground for Arts, Golf, Water Sports, Equestrian, Walking, Angling and Cycling enthusiasts, Waterford City and County offer the complete holiday experience. Waterford City was founded by Viking traders in 914 and it has an exciting medieval flavour and riverside bustle. The Waterford Museum of Treasures tells the 1000-year-story of Waterford from the treasures of Viking Waterford at Reginald's Tower, the oldest civic urban building in Ireland, to the story of Georgian Waterford at the Bishop's Palace from 1700 to 1970.Waterford Crystal Visitor CentreWaterford City is the home of Waterford Crystal, a ...

read more Irish Place Names and their Evolution Evolution of Placenames Components of Irish Placenames If you spend time studying a fairly detailed map of Ireland, it becomes clear that there are sounds and parts of words that appear over and over again in many placenames. This is true of any culture (eg English -borough, -pool, -ham, -cester, -town; French -ville, German -burg). Ireland is no exception, except that its placenames can trace their ancestry to three language families: Gaelic, English and Viking. If you have the name of an Irish placename, it is often possible to work out its origins. Many of them are made up of descriptions of the neighbourhood. For example, if there are two features, say lakes, close together, the larger one will often have -more in its name, and the smaller one -beg. Human structures also find their way into names: droichead is a bridge, and dun is a fortress. Many others are named after people, usually the lords who owned the lands on which they were built. Castledawson and Manorhamilton are examples. A word of caution, however.

A large number of Gaelic words sound similar, and in many cases the Anglicisation of Gaelic placenames has confused the spelling, making it look as if a placename means one thing when it actually means something completely different. Too many people fall into the trap of taking the English spelling, looking it up in an Irish dictionary and assuming they have the right meaning. This is a list of some of the more common placename components in Ireland: Ard Signifies a high place in Gaelic languages. This ususally means a physically high place, but it can also mean a place of importance. For example: the Ards Peninsula (county Down), Ardstraw [A high, or important, rath] (county Tyrone), Ardfert (county Kerry). A few places seem to be an 'Ard', but are actually not. For example, Ardee (county Louth) is actually an abbreviation of the older name 'Atherdee', where 'Dee' is the name of the river on which it stands. Bally, Ballyna, Ballina Bally is an extremely common prefix to town names in Ireland, and is derived from the Gaelic phrase 'Baile na', meaning 'place of'.

It is not quite right to translate it 'town of', as there were few, if any, towns in Ireland at the time these names were formed. For example, Ballyjamesduff [Place of James Duff] (county Cavan), Ballymoney (county Londonderry). The Irish name for the site of present-day Dublin was 'Baile �tha Cliath', which, if anglicised, would be spelt something like 'Ballycleeagh'. Note that 'Dublin' is actually a Viking word. ...beg This means 'small' in Gaelic. Usually used at the end of a name, this often means that this feature is the smaller of a pair of adjacent features. A similar name ending in 'more' is often found nearby. For example, Killybegs (county Donegal), Lambeg (county Antrim). North of Lough Neagh, Ireland's largest lake, is a much smaller lake called Lough Beg. ..bridge When found at the end of a name, this means that the town developed beside a bridge, or became famous as a bridging point. These town names are usually of English language origin.

For example, Banbridge (county Down) which grew up around a bridge over the river Bann. Newbridge (county Kildare) grew up when a bridge over the Liffey was built at that point. (Newbridge is increasingly being called Droichead Nua, which is a Gaelicised version of the original English name.) This illustrates the importance of bridges to trade. Carrick, Carrig Carrick means 'rock' in Gaelic languages, and Carricks are abundant across Ireland. For example Carrickfergus [Rock of Fergus] (county Antrim), Carrickmacross [Rock of MacRoss] (county Monaghan), Carrick-on-Suir (county Tipperary). Castle A prefix whose origins are in the English language. Towns with this name once, and in a few cases still do, have a castle. For example Castlederg (county Tyrone), Castlebar (county Mayo), Castleisland (county Kerry). Clon, Cloon A Gaelic word meaning a dry place. This name is much more common in Connaught than elsewhere in Ireland. This is because Connaught in wetter, so a dry and well-drained site was more valuable and well regarded.

For example, Clonmel (county Tipperary), Clonmacnois (county Offaly), Clonfert (county Galway). Derry This term evolved from the Gaelic name for a place of Oak trees [Doire], or sometimes a grove or clearing of the same. Oak trees are found in many places in Ireland, so there are many examples of the name Derry. The most famous place to have this name is Derry city (county Londonderry). Other examples include Derryaghy (county Antrim) [a former village which is now part of Belfast city], Edenderry (county Offaly). Down, Dun, Don These prefixes all evolved from the Gaelic word 'Dun', meaning a fortified place. As Ireland has always had wars, there are many examples of fortified places. Donegal [Fortress of the Foreigners] (county Donegal), Dungannon (county Tyrone), Portadown [Port of the fortress] (county Armagh), Dungarvan (county Waterford), Downpatrick [Fortress of Patrick] (county Down). Droichead A Gaelic word meaning a bridge.

The prime example is Drogheda (county Meath), which is an evolved spelling derived from the Gaelic word. Also the town of Droichead Nua [New bridge] (county Kildare). Drum, Drom A Gaelic word meaning a ridge. Examples include Dromore [The greater ridge] (county Down & Tyrone), Drumquin [Quinn's ridge] (county Tyrone), Drum [the ridge] (county Monaghan).. ..ford Names containing 'ford' could have either a Gaelic or Viking origin. If the place is by a narrow bay, it is likely to be Viking. The word evolved from the Viking 'fjord'. Examples include Waterford [Fjord of the father], Wexford [A very shallow fjord], Strangford [the strong fjord (ie, strong current)] (county Down). Alternatively, it could be a Gaelic/English word meaning a shallow crossing point in a river. For example, Longford. Gal, Gael A Gaelic word meaning 'strangers' or 'foreigners'. For example, Donegal [Fortess of the foreigners]. Note that Galway is not an example of this word.

It translates to something like 'a port at some small islands'. The word 'Gaelic' itself means 'foreigners', because it originates from the language of pre-Celtic peoples who referred to the Celts as foreigners or 'Gaels'. Glen Understand Irish land divisions, townland, parish, barony in Ireland.. county, province, townland, administrative region Townland Sub-Division It is important to be aware of townland subdivisions when conducting your research. They seldom appear on maps but are used in church records. They are clung to with great zeal by those who know which sub-division they live in. Very often the placename that was held most dear by an emigrant was the subdivision, and you might not find it in a reference book. In Skeheenarinky townland, for example, the home of ballybegvillage.com, one can find many subdivision names that are well known to the long established families but which are often not known to newer families. Attycrann, Coolroe, Seefin, Lyreen, are all sub-divisions of Skeheenarinky.

The Catholic Church records often used these sub-divisions as local people told the priest (who may have been a native of some other region) the immediate area they lived in and that's what was recorded. So, Hogans from Lyreen would be the same family as Hogans from Skeheenarinky. It's something to watch out for. Again, check with the County Libraries to see if there are publications documenting the sub-divisions in your townland. Parishes Some emigrants give their parish name as being the place from which they emigrated. But which parish were they talking about? There are Catholic Church parishes, Protestant Church parishes, and civil parishes. To make matters worse, Catholic church parishes were reorganized in the early 1800s and some were amalgamated and others had their names changed. As an example, the united parishes of Templetenny and Shanrahan in South Tipperary are now separate parishes. Templetenny has become Ballyporeen parish while Shanrahan has become Clogheen & Burncourt parish. Parishes are made up of many townlands and it is usually the Catholic parish that people refer to nowadays.

Griffiths Valuation uses Civil Parish and you will find that the Catholic Church records work well in conjunction with Griffith's. As confusing as all this sounds, there is no need to get bogged down as the County Libraries will be able to tell you about the parish names - what they were in Griffith's Valuation and what they are called today. Baronies Ireland was divided into 273 baronies. They were composed of a larger number of townlands than a parish and are said to be an ancient form of administrative unit used for the collection of taxes etc. Even though the 1901 census was conducted on a 'barony' system, the term has little relevance today. Strange names like 'Eliogarty' and 'Iffa and Offa West' no longer appear in modern legal documents.

Question: There is an Irish County called ?
Answer: Down