“Ross appears on Browne’s Map, 1584, as part of Mayo, but this was disputed by Co Galway and it was dealt with as part of the latter county in the Composition Book of Connacht, 1585. About a third of the barony was transferred back to Mayo under the Local Government Act of 1898. It is in Dúiche Sheoigheach, Joyce Country, from a family settled there since the late 13th century. The Joyces, said to be descended from the grandson of a Welsh king, were one of the original ‘tribes of Galway’.” – Nollaig Ó Muraíle, 1985
It is fortunate that this part of Ross (An Ros, ‘Wooded Headland’) lies in Mayo because it is one of the many scenic parts of the county that merits slow exploration. I visited there late last month and very much enjoyed looking into the placenames of this beautiful area.
Ross is also the name of the civil parish and is synonymous with the Catholic parish of Kilbride, straddling the Mayo-Galway border. An area of worldwide significance to geologists, the Joyce Country is currently under consideration for UNESCO Global Geopark status.
Approaching from the north, along the western shore of Lough Mask (Loch Measca, ‘(?) Measca’s Lake’), on the R300 from Toormakeady (Tuar Mhic Éadaigh, ‘Mac Éadaigh’s Pasture’), one of the first townlands encountered is Maamtrasna (Maumtrasna, Mám Trasna, ‘Mountain-Pass Crossing’).
The name Maumtrasna originally referred to a significant pass, on a pilgrimage path to Croagh Patrick. This was when routes over mountains were more important than the mountains themselves.
Today, the mountain plateau is called Maumtrasna and the highest point is 682m. Pilgrims from Joyce Country traversed the Owenbrin river valley to Barrnahowna, to the narrowest point at Beal Óg na Chroise (‘Little Gap of the Crossing’). They then descended to Lough Glenawough and proceeded cross-country to the Reek.
Cummer
The neighbouring townland is Cummer (An Cumar, ‘The Confluence’ or ‘Ravine Containing a Stream’). Either translation is appropriate as lots of tiny streams flow into the Finny River here.
Cummer is on the border of Co Galway, and on the eastern bank of Loch na Fuaiche (Fuatha) (Lough Nafooey, ‘Lake of the Spectres or Phantoms’). It is located on the western side of a hill which is approximately 180 meters high, and which slopes downwards towards the Finny River, running along the south-west border. Many streams fall from north-east with the slope of the hill in the direction of this river, and it is possible that the ‘cumar’ may actually refer to the boundary of the townland delineated by the river, connecting Loch Na Fuaiche to Loch Measca.
There are many examples of confluences and the name is common enough throughout Ireland, for example, Comber, Co Down, at the northwestern tip of Strangford Lough. There are two other townlands in Mayo with the same name in Costello and Carra and there is also a civil parish called Cummer, to the south of Tuam, stretching on both sides of the M17 motorway.
Knockaunnabausty (Cnocán na bPáisti, ‘Little Hill of the Children’), is shown as situated close to the northern boundary of Cummer, and in the south of Maumtrasna, on the first edition of the six-inch map. It is shown as a cillín on current maps.
This example, one of many so-called children’s burial grounds all over Mayo, was restored and consecrated on Easter Sunday 1996 by Fr Liam Durkin (RIP) and Fr Kieran Burke. Two local shareholders of the commonage on which the burial ground is located, Jack Joyce, Maamtrasna, and William Duffy, Finny, made a wicker gate at the entrance and placed an inscribed stone outside. A short pathway was constructed from the road to the graveyard and a Celtic cross was erected inside.
The name Finny (sometimes Finney), derives from Fionnaithe, meaning ‘White Lands’. In this instance, ‘white’ has a similar meaning to the ‘white land’ of Thallabawn, ie a ‘place of poor vegetation’ with white as opposed to green grass.
Kilbride
Finally, the townland of Kilbride is in the eastern end of a peninsula that juts out into Loch Measca from Finny. On the 19th century maps, the walls of Kilbride Church are shown situated in the centre, and Tobermurry and St Briget’s Well (Cró Bríde) are located east of it, in a wooded area.
A hill, 173m, in the north-west of the townland is called Knocknamuck, Cnoc na Muc, ‘Pig Hill’, while close by, another hill, 133m high, is called Cnoc an tSionnaigh (‘Fox Hill’).
The view from the old graveyard, looking out over Lough Mask, even in late March evening sunlight, was serenity itself.
Dr John O’Callaghan is a mountain walk leader who has organised and led expeditions both at home and abroad. He has served on the board of Mountaineering Ireland and is currently on the Irish Uplands Forum board.
TOWNLAND TALES: A stroll through the placenames of Ross
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26.04.2024
“Ross appears on Browne’s Map, 1584, as part of Mayo, but this was disputed by Co Galway and it was dealt with as part of the latter county in the Composition Book of Connacht, 1585. About a third of the barony was transferred back to Mayo under the Local Government Act of 1898. It is in Dúiche Sheoigheach, Joyce Country, from a family settled there since the late 13th century. The Joyces, said to be descended from the grandson of a Welsh king, were one of the original ‘tribes of Galway’.” – Nollaig Ó Muraíle, 1985
It is fortunate that this part of Ross (An Ros, ‘Wooded Headland’) lies in Mayo because it is one of the many scenic parts of the county that merits slow exploration. I visited there late last month and very much enjoyed looking into the placenames of this beautiful area.
Ross is also the name of the civil parish and is synonymous with the Catholic parish of Kilbride, straddling the Mayo-Galway border. An area of worldwide significance to geologists, the Joyce Country is currently under consideration for UNESCO Global Geopark status.
Approaching from the north, along the western shore of Lough Mask (Loch Measca, ‘(?) Measca’s Lake’), on the R300 from........
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