Know Your Place

Le Seoirse ó Dochartaigh

Red Stripe Press 2021

ISBN 9781786051400

Know Your Place: Tá iniúchadh ar Logainmneacha na hÉireann dírithe ní ar an lucht acadúil ach ar an léitheoireacht ghinearálta. Is é go díreach a deir sé ar an stán, iniúchadh, agus ní compendium uilechuimsitheach. Roghnaigh an t-údar grúpa logainmneacha as gach ceann de na 32 chontae – thart ar 80 as gach ceann. Is rogha an-phearsanta é. I gcás gach ceann acu, pléann sé an t-ainm Béarla, an t-ainm Gaeilge bunaidh agus brí an ainm. In éineacht leis seo tá dornán níos lú a raibh míniú breise ag teastáil uaidh. Ag tús gach rannáin contae, soláthraíonn sé mír nó dhó freisin ar fhoirmiú an chontae sin agus ar an gcaoi ar ainmníodh é.

Know Your Place: An Exploration of the Place Names of Ireland is aimed not at the academic but at the general readership. It is exactly what it says on the tin, an exploration, and not an all-embracing compendium. The author has selected a group of place names from each of the 32 counties – about 80 from each. It’s a very personal selection. For each, he discusses the anglicized name, the original Irish name and the meaning of the name. Alongside this are a smaller handful that required some further explanation. At the beginning of each county section, he also provides a paragraph or two on the formation of that county and how it came to be named.