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creggan townlands - names and derivations


Townlands are the smallest administrative units in the country. They are unique to Ireland and their names, for the most part, reflect an ancient Celtic way of life.

The derivations of the townlands of Creggan Parish below have been collected from two sources -

"An Account of the Barony of Upper Fews in The County of Armagh" by John Donaldson - 1838; and
"Placenames of Creggan" by Hugh Macauley - Journal of The Creggan Local History Society - No 6: 1992 (p.35)

The sources are distinguished by the initial letter of their names - (D)onaldson, and (M)acauley.


Annaghgad The robber's ford (D) The robber's fair (M)
Annaghmare The burying plain (D) The ford of the dead (M)
Annavackey The lame man's marsh (M)
Ballinarea The ready pass (D) The townland of the Kings (or) The shallow ford (M)
Ballynacarry The townland of the weir (M)
Ballynaclosha The townland of the ditch (M)
Cappagh The rugged country (D) a tillage plot (M)
Carnally The wild heap of stones (D) The cairn of the cattle (M)
Carran The wet rocks (D) The cairn (M)
Carrickamone The salmon's rocky ford (D) The rock of the bog (M)
Clarnagh The bare field (D) The level place of the ford (M)
Clarbane The uncultivated plain (D) The white level place or the waste (or empty) level place (M)
Cloghogue Little stone (D) A rocky place (M)
Clonalig The slothful tribe (D) The meadow of the flat stones (M)
Coolderry The rear of the oakwood (D) the far oak wood (M)
Corliss The solirory fort (D) The round fort (M)
Cornahove The round hill of the grave of Corr na hUaimhe; The round hill of the cave or souterrain (M)
Cornonagh (Corneanagh)The high field of whins (D) The round hill of the river (M)
Creenkill (Creinkil) The decayed wood (D) The dry or rotten wood (M)
Creevekeeran (Crunkeeran) The renouned red branch (D) The seat of the mountain ash (M)
Cregganban (Creggan) The rocky waterfall (D) The white rocky place (m)
Cregganduff The black rocky place (M)
Crossmaglen The cross of the shading plain (D) McGlynn's crossroads (M)
Cullaville McCullough's village (D) McCulla's town (M)
Cullyhanna The holly plain (D) The marshy hill or the marshy hollow (M)
Dorsy The extensive forest of oak timber (D) The doors or gateways (to Eamhain Macha) (M)
Drumbally The rear of the village (D) The townland on the ridge (M)
Drumboy (Drumbee) The yellow ridge of a hill (D) The yellow ridge (M)
Drumgoose The dangerous rear of a hill (D) The dangerous ridge (M)
Drumlougher (Drumlagher) The rushy hill or ridge (D) The rushy ridge (M)
Drummuck Swine hill (D) The pigs ridge (M)
Drummuckavall The hill of the soldier's son (D) McConville's ridge or McCawell's ridge (M)
Freeduff Black heath town (D) The black heather or heath (M)
Glassdrummond The pleasant green hill (D) The green ridge (M)
Glassdrummonaghy The green hill fit for heards of oxen (D) Haughey's green ridge (M)
Legmoylin The summit of the hill of larte (?) stones (D) The flat stone on the hill brow or Moylain's flat-stone (M)
Lisamry (Lisavery)The summer forth (D) The summery fort (M)
Liscalgat (Liscolgat) The champions fort (D) The fort of the stagnant water (M)
Lisseraw (Liseragh)The airy fort (D) The fort of the racing (M)
Loughross The pleasant lake (D) The lake of the Ross (M)
Lurgancullenboy The end of the yellow holly wood (D) The track of the yellow holly (M)
Monaghguillagh (Monagella) The soft bog (D) The hag's bog or The hill bog (M)
Monog (Monogg) The little mountain (D) The soft bog (M)
Mounthill (Ballinaghy) -[ former name ] Mount town (D) Named after Rev Hill. Former name - the townland of the field (M)
Moybane (Mobane) The uncultivated plain (D) Same (M)
Rathkeelan McQuilkin's fort (D) Keelan's fort (M)
Sheetrim (Sytrim) The protecting covert (D) The fairy ridge (M)
Shilland (Shillan or Gray Island) The harmless clan (D) A winnowing place (M)
Skeriff The airy country (D) A shallow ford (M)
Teer The house of slaughter (D) The land of ---[name lost] (M)
Tullyard The high hill (D) Same (M)
Tullydonnell Donald's hill (D) Daniel's hill or O'Donnell's hill (M)
Tullynavall (Tullinavale) The soldier's hill (D) The hedged hill or the hedged round hill (M)
Tullyogallaghan (Tullyagaleaghan)The hill of stagnant water (D) O'Callaghan's hill (M)
Tullyvallen The noble prince's hill (D) Mallon's hill (M)
Ummericam The crooked ridge of mountain (D) The crooked ridge (M)
Ummerinvore (Ummermuaire) The big ridge (D) Same (M)
Urker The town of the throw or cast (D) A cast or throw (M)

[Back to Townlands of Creggan]

Last Updated on 5 February 2006
By Patrick Devlin
Email: pdevlinz@btinternet.com