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John O’Callaghan

John O’Callaghan

The Mayo News

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TOWNLAND TALES: A stroll through the placenames of Ross

“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...

26.04.2024 30

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

TOWNLAND TALES: Forging history in Burrishoole's Furnace

We have looked at isthmuses in Pontoon, Curraun, and Cong previously; this week we are in Furnace, in Burrishoole, situated on a narrow neck of land...

13.04.2024 10

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

TOWNLAND TALES: There’s something offal in Corraun

ANTHROPOMORPHISM, the attribution of human characteristics or behaviour to an object, in a real or imagined way, has given rise to a multitude of...

13.03.2024 10

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

TOWNLAND TALES: All about the Mace

The English word ‘mace’ has several meanings – with and without a capital ‘M’. Mace with a capital M is a form of tear gas or a chain of...

02.03.2024 10

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

TOWNLAND TALES: A final look at the ‘field’ placenames of Mayo

IN this final article on Mayo townland names containing the word ‘field’, we visit the baronies of Tirawley, Gallen and Costello.At the northern...

16.02.2024 9

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

TOWNLAND TALES: John O’Callaghan visits a selection of Mayo’s 176 ‘Knocks’

KNOCK, or Cnoc, meaning ‘hill’, comes in at fifth place in the ‘top ten’ of prefix root-words in townland placenames in Co Mayo. With a grand...

08.12.2023 10

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

TOWNLAND TALES: From Errew to Wherrew

We are in the Barony of Tirawley – ‘Awley’s Country’, from Tír Amhlaidh. Tír also means ‘territory’ or ‘province’. “‘The Book of...

24.11.2023 8

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

TOWNLAND TALES: Old Head and a look back at Legan

Earlier this year in July I explored the townland of Legan, west of Old Head, near Louisburgh. I asked readers to help locate the standing stone, An...

10.11.2023 5

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

TOWNLAND TALES: Cuckoo about Killeenacoff

During Westport’s Covie Week, held in late July, I presented a slideshow, ‘Townlands of Westport’. One member of the audience, Eibhlín...

13.10.2023 5

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

TOWNLAND TALES: The placenames of Michael Viney’s beloved Thallabawn

In April 2022, this page ‘captured’ Carrigskeewaun with the help of poet, Michael Longley. Sadly, his dear friend and neighbour, Michael Viney,...

28.09.2023 9

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

TOWNLAND TALES: Bounding around Boheh

I had decided to feature the townland of Boheh, when Pat Bree asked me about its meaning on behalf of a friend of his who was puzzled by the name.The...

14.09.2023 10

The Mayo News

John O’Callaghan

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