Cork and Kerry Place Names Survey
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1. Who are we?
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2. The Place Names Archive collections
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3. Launch of Kerry Place Names
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4. Why collect Placenames?
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5. The type of names collected
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6. Cork City Place Names Survey 2010-11
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7. Contact us
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1.Who are we?
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Top of page
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Cork Place Names Survey was established in 1996 by Dr. Éamon Lankford
to undertake the collection and mapping of the minor placename heritage
of Co. Cork. Áitainmneacha Chiarraí / Kerry Place Names was formed in
2000 to conduct a similar Place Names Survey in Kerry. The voluntary
Cork and Kerry Place Names Survey group incorporated a two county Survey
Team known as Logainmneacha Chorcaí / Cork Place Names Survey for Cork County
and Suirbhé Áitainmneacha Chiarraí / Kerry Place Names Survey for County Kerry.
The Steering Committee and Advisory Council composed of people from Cork and
Kerry came together to undertake the systematic collection and mapping of
the placename heritage of both counties. The organising and co-ordination
of both Surveys was carried out at An tÁras, 13 Dyke Parade, Cork. By the
close of 2009 the placenames collected and mapped from both oral and
documented sources in both counties were collated into bound volume collections
and presented to the Cork and Kerry county libraries.
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2. The Place Names Archive collections
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As of June 2009 Cork County Library in Cork city holds 115 volumes
of references to Cork placenames compiled since 1976 throughout Co.
Cork by Dr. Éamon Lankford. The collection is known as the Cork Place Names Archive.
The material being compiled for the Barony of Cork including Cork city is awaiting collation,
editing and presentation at the Cork Place Names Archive, Cork County Library, Carrigrohane Road, Cork.
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Dr Éamon Lankford, Director and Compiler of the Cork Place Names Survey Archive.
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President of Ireland launches mapped archive of Cork placenames, 10 June 2009
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"THE PRESIDENT has paid tribute to a Cork toponymist and his team of
researchers on their achievement of compiling the first mapped archive
of placenames for any county in Ireland. President Mary McAleese said
that the work of Dr Eamon Lankford and the 200-plus researchers who helped
compile Logainmneacha Chorcaí or the Cork Place Names Survey was truly
unique and represented a valuable archive for future generations".
Irish Times, 11/06/2009
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Speaking at the launch of the Cork Place Names
Archive on 10th June 2009 the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese stated:
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Click here to see the President's speech
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I would like to express my appreciation to Dr. Lankford for
his pioneering work over many years, and for his vision in
establishing Logainmneacha Chorcaí – the Cork Place Names Survey,
which forms the basis for this archive. This great initiative grew
out of the early work that Dr. Lankford carried out in Cape Clear
and West Cork. That study emphasised the abundance of local descriptions
and local names for places and features, their general absence from
written records, and the great fragility that the oral transmission of
such local information has in our modern globalised era.
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Dr. Lankford understood that what applied in Cape Clear and West
Cork also applied in the rest of the country and so he decided to
make a good and formidable start by tackling the place names of the
entire county of Cork.
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In 1996 Logainmneacha Chorcaí – the Cork Place Names Survey was formally
established and has operated since then on a partnership basis, drawing
on the skills and enthusiasm of talented young university graduates and
the expertise and advice of a wide range of people from the educational,
library and local government sectors which has made up an advisory council
of experts. I note also that there has been substantial involvement by FÁS and
the LEADER programme which have provided funding and assistance.
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Academically the results are utterly superb. It’s a unique repository. The information
in it is absolutely priceless. But then there is what it does for our own spirit,
and our pride in our people – all that richness, places that will not now be forgotten,
their story held for future generations. They are part of our national story.
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This has been, of course, a two way process with over 200 young graduates
gaining research and IT skills and work experience from their involvement
with the project. The result of all this hard work, organisational ability
and academic expertise speaks for itself; a unique repository of priceless
information which is now saved for future generations.
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To date your Cork archive has over 100 volumes containing more than
200,000 references to Cork place-names which will function within the
existing Cork County library network. The establishment of the Cork Place
Names Archive in 2009 will now surely act as a spur for other counties
to engage in a systematic collection and mapping of their oral and documented
place-name heritage and indeed further, on a national basis. What a great
achievement that will be!
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Today is Cork's day and I wish to congratulate all those who have been involved
in this project. Comhghairdeas leis An Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta;
le Comhairle Contae Chorcaí; leis na scoileanna, na grúpaí pobail agus na bailitheoirí
logainmneacha ar fud an chontae a chuir an tionscadal seo i gcrích. Comhghairdeas libh
ar fad. Tréaslaím an chartlann iontach seo libh.
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Survey Secretary Mairead Ní Loingsigh said the names provide a valuable snapshot of a townland,
a community, a parish and ultimately of a county. "The names are not mere fossils, however,
nor are they just the preserve of academics and antiquarians – the majority of them are
living names which serve a current function," she said.
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The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese viewing portion of the Cork Place Names Archive along with Dr.
Éamon Lankford, compiler and Cork County Librarian, Miss Ruth Flanagan, 10th June 2010.
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L to R: Dr. É. Lankford Director Cork Place Name Survey & Archive,
President of Ireland Mary McAleese, Ruth Flanagan Cork County Librarian,
Dr. Martin McAleese at the formal launch of the Cork Place Names Archive.
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The Cork Place Names Archive includes :
(a) A set of 28 (Wine coloured) volumes for a Transcription of the Ordnance Survey Name Book 1841 for Cork County.
(b) A set of 87 (Blue coloured) volumes to 2008 of references to named places and features from Co. Cork excluding material being compiled for the Cork City area.
(c)The Cork Placename Sources collection to 2008 held in boxed form includes the original submissions from the public as well as published and unpublished material relating to Cork placenames excluding material being compiled for the Cork City area.
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The target date for the creation of Ireland’s first County Place Names Archive to house the
collected data was for Co. Cork set for 2009 and for Co. Kerry 2010. The Survey Team enlisted
the help of teachers, their students and parents, the farming and fishing community, local development,
educational and cultural organizations in both counties. Practically all of the names collected in the
two county survey had not been previously recorded. The Local Studies Units in both the Cork and Kerry
County Library now collectively hold a collection of 170 bound volumes with over 300,000 references to
placenames throughout two counties. Library staff will be able to attend to enquiries regarding what the
collections contain.
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3. Launch of Kerry Place Names Archive 4 June 2010
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Muckross House, Killarney, Co. Kerry was the venue for the launch of
the Kerry Place Names Archive on 4th June 2010 by Mr. Pat Carey, T.D.,
Minister for Community, Equality & Gaeltacht Affairs. Speaking of the importance
of placenames in the preservation of local identity and heritage, the Minister said,
‘Many of the placenames give a clear insight into the mindset, folklore, beliefs and
day-to-day life in times of yore. These placenames will not survive unless they are
used by people in their vernacular. The biggest challenge facing all of us is to
encourage people to use them in their own areas. It would also help if these native
names were used in newspapers, magazines and official documents as often as possible’.
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Pat Carey, T.D. Minister for Community, Equality & Gaeltacht Affairs and Dr. Éamon Lankford,
Director Kerry Place Names Survey & Archive at Muckross House gardens prior to the
Launch of the Kerry Place Names Archive, 4 June 2010.
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By June 2010 the object of creating two public County Place Names Archives had been achieved
within target and the Survey Team turned its full attention to the collection of placenames
in Cork city. Of course hundreds of thousands of other placenames remain uncollected throughout
rural Co. Cork and Kerry and will die out if not recorded. The further collection and mapping of
placenames in both counties is a challenge for others to pursue.
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Presentation to the South West Region Management of FÁS in recognition of their contribution to the creation of the Cork Place Names Archive 2008 and Kerry Place Names Archive 2009
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L to R: Ms. Patricia O’ Mahony Assistant Manager Community
Services FÁS South West Region, Donal Kerr Regional Director
FÁS South West Region, Dr. É. Lankford Director Cork & Kerry Place
Names Survey, Seán O’ Sullivan Manager Community Services FÁS
South West Region.
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Since June 2010 the 54 volumes of placenames compiled by the Kerry
Place Names Survey Team (1999-2009) are available for public consultation at
Kerry County Library, Moyderwell, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Accompaning the bound
volumes of the Place Names Survey in both the Cork and Kerry Place Names Archives
is an indexed boxed collection of documentation titled Placenames Sources compiled
during the lifetime of both Place Names Surveys. The Placename Sources collection for
rural Co. Cork runs to some 160 boxes while that for the Kerry Place Names Survey is to be
found in 60 boxes. The Library has a complete listing of what each box contains.
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Some of the archive boxes of documentation titled Kerry Placenames
Sources on view prior to the Launch of the Kerry Place Names Archive, 4 June 2010.
The Placenames Sources Collection contains the original placename submissions received from the
public, fieldwork notes by the Survey Team and other documentation on which the 54 bound volumes of the
Kerry Place Names Archive are based.
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A selection of volumes from the Kerry Place Names Survey exhibited at Muckross House
prior to the launch of the Kerry Place Names Archive by Pat Carey, T.D., Minister for Community,
Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, 4 June 2010.
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4. Why collect placenames?
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Irish placenames are an integral, though often forgotten part of the cultural
heritage of Ireland. They are a valuable source of knowledge of the past,
giving meaning to the landscape and defining the relationship between
communities and their physical environment.
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The historical and cultural profile of townlands, parishes, counties,
urban areas and even countries can be given greater depth and richness
through study of the etymology of placenames. Much of the thought, folklore,
genealogy, religion, daily life and work of those living on and interacting with
their landscape can be appreciated through placenames study. Placenames can also
provide an insight into the climate, flora and fauna of the region studied.
Placenames in Ireland are at the heart of community identity in town and country,
in townland and street.
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5. The type of names collected
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All names in Irish or in English given to manmade and natural features in the Cork
and Kerry rural and urban landscape and the lore attached to such minor names were
collected and their location mapped. Names of fields, hills, cliffs, islands,
inlets, harbours, wells, streams, rocks, heights, slopes, hollows, lakes, bogs, caves,
laneways, cross-roads, boundaries, house-ruins, roads, pathways, etc are included. Most
farmers have or had names on every field and feature and many of these may now no longer
be used by the community, hence the urgency of recording them
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The Cork Place Names Survey Team recorded 21 placenames at the location covered by the view
shown in the photo.
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Ownership names that are now obsolete, as well as old names
that were used before the amalgamation of fields into larger
units were included in the Place Names Survey. Street names and names which may be
known only to a few people in a family or those names used only by young people to
describe their local areas are important, as well as the lore attached to
such names.
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The Cork and Kerry Place Names Survey initiative was a collecting and mapping
project and as such could not provide a research facility for the public nor spend
much time researching information about every single placename.
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The public may at any time in the future submit placename collections or lists of
placenames, mapped or unmapped to the Local Studies Unit at Cork County Library,
Carrigrohane Road, Cork or the Local Studies Unit at Kerry County Library, Moyderwell,
Tralee, Co. Kerry.
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Cork City Place Names Survey 2010-11
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Top of page
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We want your help!!!
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During 2010-11 the Cork Place Names Survey Team is concentrating its entire efforts on
the collection and mapping of placenames in Cork city. All are invited to help identify
and record names applied to any natural or man-made features in the landscape of Cork city
and its surrounding area.
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Names in Irish and English, obsolete names, slang names, ‘nicknames’, former street
names and names given to all kinds of buildings, old and new are included in the survey.
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The National Monument. To the rear from left to right - Sully's (Quay School), Cork Club (now
Bank of Scotland), the Bowfronts on Grand Parade (Sráid an Chapaill bhuí).
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Examples of names which fall into the above categories include names like the Black Ash,
Cáit Shea’s Lane, Murphy’s Farm, the Snotty Bridge, The Shaky Bridge, the Boggy Road,
Tinker’s Cross, Skiddy's home and local names given to pubs, and facilities of all kinds as well as
names of places and features called after people and events, local and national.
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Skiddy's Home on Bob and Joan's Walk, to the rear of former "North Infer" (North Infirmary Hospital).
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Please contact Cork Place Names Survey (Logainmneacha Chorcaí) if you have information
about the placenames known perhaps only to you and your neighbours in your home area, in
the city or surrounding areas. If you are a teacher or community leader please encourage
your students and neighbours to spend 15 minutes recording for posterity the names in daily
speech in their home area. Please write the names down and send them to us by post, email
or by telephone.
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The survey includes placenames recorded in documented and oral sources.
Among documented sources are maps like Pacata Hibernia [1585-1600]
Ordinance Survey and other maps
Cork Past and Present
as well as placenames extracted from historical documentation,
books and journals relating to Cork City.
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The placenames recorded from the Cork city area will be added to the Cork Place Names
Survey Archive material which was deposited in the Cork County Library, Carrigrohane Road,
Cork on 10 June 2009.
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Pacata Hibernia map, 1585-1600.
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7. Contact us
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Please send us a list of the Cork City names that you know.
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Below is a general guide for making a submission of placenames:
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Make a list of Cork city placenames and give each name a number 1, 2, 3 etc.
If possible mark the location of the names on a map or on a sketch map of your
own of the area concerned and use the same numbers to identify each name on your list.
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You can also write an account of location details i.e. address of the named place/feature
or give a description of the named place/feature in relation to other
places and features in the same locality.
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State what is named in each name eg. a field, a hill, a building etc.
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Add any information as to how the name may have come about. eg. history and local lore etc
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Its important to give an oral or documented source for placenames, if at all possible.
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The more information supplied about each name the better.
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Click here to submit a placename now
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If you and your friends can help record Cork city placenames please contact us at:
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Tel. 021 4274110
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email:logainmneacha@gmail.com
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OR
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Call to our office (Mon to Friday, 9 am to 1 pm & 2 pm to 4 pm) at:
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Cork Place Names Survey / Logainmneacha Chorcaí,
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An tÁras,
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13 Dyke Parade,
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Cork.
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