HISTORY OF ATHENRY  

Baile Átha 'n Rí - (pronounced "Bleá 'n Rí in Irish) means The Town at the River Ford

Aghafadda - Achad Fada – Long Meadow (Acha means good land – Achreidh na Gaillimhe – a fertile plane and not to be confused with “Each – a steed) 
Ballinloughane - Baile an Locháin - Townland of the lake or pond. 
Ballybackagh — Baile Bachach - Townland of lame (soldiers?) or place of hindrance (to travellers) Stubborn or lame land 
Ballyboggan — Baile an Bhogáin – Soft place 
Ballydavid Middle - Baile Dhaithí Lár 
Ballydavid North — Baile Dhaithí Thuaigh 
Ballydavid South - Baile Dhaithí Theas 
Ballygurrane - Baile Ghurráin - Townland of the small field 

Note: - Many townlands were named by the direction they are in relation to one another – i.e. Ballygurrane North, South, West (North = Thuaidh, East = Thoir, South = Theas, West = Thiar West) 

Barretts’ Park - Páirc a’ Bhairéid - from the landowner 
Bawnmore - Ban Mór - Big meadow (a Bawn is an open area of uncultivated grassland usually beside the keep of a castle). 
Bingarra - Ben Gharraí – Gardens (small fields) on the crest of a hill (rise, height). 
Blean - Bléin - Low strip of land 
Bottom - Bun –referring to good low lying land 
Boyhill - Cnoc Buí - Yellow (clay type soil) hill 

Caherbriskaun - Cathair Briascán – fort or settlement of the silver weed, tansey, skirret or stunted hay 
Caherfinsker - Cathair Fin Eiscir – Fair fort of the Esker/Eiscir Riada 
Cahertubber - Cathair Tobair - Fort of the well 
Cappaghmoyle - Ceapach Maol – The bare cutaway wood. 
Caraunduff — Carán Dubh — Black, rocky place 
Carnaun - Carnán - A heap of stones or an area of high stony ground – a cairn (Called Cloghar Goill in ancient times the home of Goll Mac Mórna of mythological fame 
Carrowntober East - Cathair Tobair Thoir - Rounded hill or bend of the well (east - thoir) (west - thiar) 
Cashla - Cois Sléibhte - Probably Caiseal - Stone Fort /beside the mountain - rough land. 
Castle Ellen - Caisleán Éilíse - as for St. Ellens 
Castle Lambert - Caisleán Lambert - Called after landowner - old name was Aughrim – good hilltop land 
Castleturvin – called after landowner 
Clamper Park - Páirc a ’Chlampair – The disputed field 
Cloonbrusk - Cluain Bhruasc — Meadow of the Sherds / Broken pottery 
Cloonkeenbeg - Cluain Chaoin Beag - The small meadow of Caoin 
Cloonkeen North - Cluain Chaoin Thuaigh 
Cloonkeen South - Cluain Chaoin Theas 
Clorane - Clórán - Meadow of the spring well 
Coldwood - Fuar Choill - Wood of the fresh cold spring 
Cormacuagh East - Corrmacuach Thoir - Corr the son of Cuach / Meadow field of the shoulder of land on the cuckoo plain. 
Cormacuagh West - Corrmacuach Thiar 
Cuddoo East - Cuid Dubh Thoir – Portion of good black soil to the east 
Cullairbawn - Coiléar Bán - Shoulder / Collar of talamh bawn or uncultivated grazing land 

(Cullairbawn extended from the town wall to Park taking in the R.C. Church, Parish Priest’s House, Presentation Nuns Convent, Scoil Croi Naofa primary School, Presentation College, Railway Station, V.E.C. Buildings, Lambert Court, “Raheen” Sports Complex and Cullairbawn Estate) 

Currantarmuid - Corrán Diarmuid - Rounded hill / bend of Dermot. Corrán Tearmainn - of the Sanctuary 
Cussane - Casán - Path – path - through the sloe bushes (once called “Casán Liam Deois – The Path of Liam Joyce the Highwayman) 
Derroogh - Doire - Oak Wood 
Derrydonnell Beg - Doire Domhnaill Beag - O’Donnell’s Oak Wood (Red Hugh O’Donnell is said to have camped here before attacking Athenry) 
Derrydonnell More - Doire Domhnaill Mór 
Derrydonnell North - Doire Domhnaill Thuaidh 

Fahy’s Village - Baile Uí Fhathaigh - Called after Fahy landowners 
Farnablake West - Fearann de Blácha Thiar - The land of the Blakes to the west 
Farnablake East - Fearann de Blácha Thoir 
Furzy Park - Anglo Irish name – Park of the Furze - Gorse 

Glenagloghaun - Gleann a’ Chlocháin- Valley of the mound of stones or Stone houses 
Gloves Middle - Gluibhe Lár, Luibhe = Herbs. 
Gloves West - Gluibhe Thiar 
Gort na hAbhann - Field of the river 
Gorteenacre - Goirtin Acra –Small field of good tillage land (not to be confused with the acre measurement) 
Gortroe - Gort Rua — Red field relating to the colour of the soil 
Graigabbey - Gráig na Mainistreach – Village of the Monastery 
Greethill - Cnocán Iomhair or Aoibhir - Hill of Granite (possibly from erratic rock) Associated with Raftery the Poet 

Kilcornan - Cill Cornán - The Church of Cornan 
Kingsland North - Talamh an Rí Thuaidh 
Kingsland South - Talamh an Rí Theas 
Knockaunglass - Cnocán Glas – Green hill 
Knockbaun - Cnoc Bán — Uncultivated hillside 
Knockbrack - Cnoc Breac - Dappled hill / Scabby land 

(There is a tendency to ignore some townlands in favour of others – Cullairbawn is one example. Another “Knockbrack” is often used for Caraun, Loughaunenaghaun, Knockbaun and Knockbrack) 

Knocknacreeva - Cnoc na Creamha – The hill of wild garlic 
Lachtanora - Leacht an Óra — Heavy soil / flagstone on the edge (of the bog) 
Lecarrow - .....carrow (rounded hill) 
Lenamore - Léana mór - The big meadow 
Lisdoran - Lios Dobhrán - Fort of the otters 
Lisheenkyle East - Lisín na Coille Thoir – The Ringfort in the Wood to the east  (Lios, or Rath, was an earthen ringforts often afterwards used as children’s  burial ground  - a Lisheen 
Lisheenkyle West - Lisín na Coille Thiar 
Loobroe - Lúgh Brú - The Otherworld resting place of (The God) Lúgh (Lúghnasa - August) 
Loughaunenaghaun - Lochán na hÉanacháin – The pond of the birds - the fowler’s lake (éanach – act of fowling) 
Millpark - Páirc an Mhuilinn. 
Moanbaun — Móin Ban - Meadow of white or uncultivated grazing land or perhaps referring to moor or boggy place 
Moor or Moorpark - Páirc Mór – From “mur” – Fort, or big wall, or dyke as in a stronghold 
Mountgarret - The mountain of Garrett (landowner) 
Mountpelier - Placename taken from the French 
Mountain North - Sliabh Ó Thuaidh - Possible cartographer’s term also related to Mountain South and Mountain West 
Mountain South - Sliabh Ó Dheas 
Mountain West - Sliabh an Iarthair 
Moyveela — Máigh Mhaola - The bare plain or also the forested plane - site of the Battle of Moyvilla c. 250 A.D. 
Mulpit - No explanation found 
Newcastle - An Caisleán Nua 

(While the R. C. Church is in “Shudane” and Newcastle Primary School is in Templemoyle their addresses are usually given as “Newcastle”) 

Newford - English name – site of a British Army Barracks 

Palmerstown - Baile Phamair — (Palmers were people who went on pilgrimage, often to the Holy Land, and brought back palms as souvenirs) 
Park — Páirc - Enclosed field 
Peakroe - Péic Rua - The red hill top refers to the colour of the soil 
Pollagh - Pollach — Land full of pits or holes - Watering hole / place. 
Pollacappul - Pall a ’Chapall - The watering hole of the horses or a hole in which a horse was killed 
Pollagool — Pall a’ Ghuail - From a coal mine opened by the Lamberts in the 19th century. 
Pollnagroagh - Pall na Grua - Water hole of the round hills/reeks 
Prospect - From Prospect House 

Rahard - Rath Árd - Raised Rath or earthen ringfort 
Raheen - Raithín - Small Rath (earthen ringfort) This townland is between the town wall and Moanbaun to the west of the road to Carnaun. (Raheen Sports field is really in Cullairbawn townland) 
Rathmorrisey — Ráth Mhuirgheasa - Morrissey’s fort 

Saint Ellens – Sidhe n’Eitlinn – the otherworld resting place of Eitleann the mother of the God Lúgh of Loobroe 
Shantallow - Sean Talamh - Old Ground 
Shudane - Siudán — Soden Race – Old Irish who lived there before the Celts. 
Skeaghaderreen - Sceach a’ Doirín – The whitethom (fairy tree – rag bush for ritual) of the small oak wood 

Templemoyle - Teampall Maol – The Church of Maol …. or the Roofless Church 
Tiaquin - Tigh Dá Conna - House of St. Dachan or House of Coinn or House of the two chimneys - The old Barony of Tiaquin stretched from Athenry to Dunmore. 
Tobernaveen - Tobar na bhFiann – The well of the wild place or wild animals, probably deer / Well of the Fianna bordering Carnaun – Cloghar Goill 
Toorkeel - Túr Caol - slender tower 
Tubberconnolly — Tobar Uí Chonghaile – Conall was king of Connaught 
Tuberroe - Tobar Rua - The red well referring to the colour of the soil 
Turloughalanger - Turloch a ……… Dry lake / Place of rapid seasonal flood 
Tysaxon - Tigh an tSacsain - House of the Saxon (Abbot). Abbey founded in the 7th century by Balan who came from Mayo Abbey 

Athenry Town 
Athenry Town - Baile Atha 'n Rí - pronounced "Bleá'n Rí - River Ford - Rí or Rye meaning river 
Abbey Row - Sráid na Mainistreach – referring to the Dominican Priory 
Ard Aoibhinn - Árd Aoibhinn – Pleasant height – place to live 

Caheroyan - Cathair Uí Ríon (Banríon – Queen Meadhbh of The Táin Bó Cúailnge fame) - Fort of the Ryans/Quarter of the Hynes (Uí Eidhin) local Irish kings in the Athenry area 
Church St. - Sráid an tSéipéil 
Clarke St. - Sráid Uí Chléirigh 
Court Lane - Bóithrín na Cúirte – beside the old court / castle 
Davis St. - Sráid Mhic Daibhis 
Mac Donald’s Lane - Lána Mhic Dhomhaill 
North Gate St. - Sráid an Gheata Thuaidh 
Old Church St. — Sráid an tSean Teampaill 
Swangate - Geata Swan (Sergeant Swan had a pub at the gate) - Originally Lorro gate 
Cross Street – Sráid na Croise – the Street of the (market) Cross 

Bóithrín Árd – The High Road - Old road to Galway from Lorro Gate through the old fair green and Newford Army Barracks – the stiles for the soldiers to cross the railway can be still seen at the railway line (A pathway continued along the river to the Mass Rock in Coldwood) 
Bóithrín Raithín – Raheen Lane connected Athenry Town house with Raheen house 
The Mass Path – was a shortcut from the Ballygurrane / castle Lambert Road to the Carnaun Road at Raheen 

Some Neighbouring Townlands 
Bellville — From the French - Home of the Persse family 
Cahercrin - Cathair Cruinn – the Round Fort or the fort directly (cruinn díreach) in the middle of an area – a “cahir” is a stone ringfort 
Cahertymore - Cahair an Ti Mhóir – big house of the stone fort 
Carnakelly - Cairn Uí Cheallaigh - (Burial) Mound of the O’Kellys 
Colmanstown — Baile Colmán - Colmán was associated with Lindisfarne, Iona, Inisboffin and the Saxon monks of Tysaxon 
Deerpark - Páirc na bhFiain – Land fenced for deer 
Grange - Gráinseach - Place for storing grain 
Kilskeagh - Cill Sceiche - Church of the white thorn bushes 
Lisduff - Lios Dubh - Black fort 
Monatigue - Muine Thaidhg — Small wood /copse of Tadhg 
Mountbrown - English Name originally “Cnoc a’ tSíodhán” also "Ullord Mór" 
Rockfield - Páirc na Cloiche - The field of the stones 
Sheaun Park - Cnoc a’ tSíodhán - The field of the fairy mound/hill - An east west "cathedral" hill? 
Slieveroe - Sliabh Rua - Hill with red soil 
Tallowroe - Talamh Rua - Red ground