The Irish Language in Irish Placenames and Customs: Logainmneacha, Béaloideas agus Dinnseanchas

The stories of Ireland are told in her placenames, her ancient history encoded in the Irish language. The anglicization of these placenames in the 1800s meant that their original meanings were hidden and might have been lost forever, but for the diligence of committed scholars who made sure that the names of townlands and towns in their original Irish were preserved. When you travel around Ireland today, you will notice that signposts are in both Irish and English. The English very rarely gives a key to the history; the Irish always does. In this class, you will learn how to decipher Irish place names, called logainmneacha (lug-anim-noch-a) and discover the dinnseanchas (dinn-shana-chus) or ‘lore of place’ of that area. How did it get its original name? What do the Ballys and the Tubbers and the Kils all mean? What clues are given in the folklore or béaloideas (bale-id-us)? What old customs remain today which have their origins in the Ireland of long ago?

Sean O’Callaghan, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the department of religious and theological studies at Salve Regina. He grew up in Ireland and has a Ph.D. in systematic theology from the University of Liverpool. Sean’s main area of expertise is in the field of world religions, including their evolution into new forms. He is also interested in transhumanism and new technologies emerging from that field along with the ethical questions raised.