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User:Jnestorius/List of shortest placenames in Ireland

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There are several places in Ireland which have one- or two-letter names in either the Irish language or the English language.

English names

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One letter

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There are a few places arguably spelt with one letter:

  • Wood of O,[1] a townland in County Offaly
  • The Vee or Vee Gap,[2][3] a pass followed by the R668 road between Counties Waterford and Tipperary, is sometimes spelt "the V" or "the 'V'".[4][5]

Two letters

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The following compound names consist of a two-letter specific element followed by a generic element; the generic element may sometimes be omitted:

Three letters

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Among many three-letter places are the settlements of Coa, County Fermanagh; Emo, County Laois; Moy, County Tyrone; Spa, County Down; Spa, County Kerry.

Irish Names

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One letter

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The island of Iona in Scotland is called Í in Irish.[12] It is Ì in the closely related Scottish Gaelic, generally lengthened to Ì Chaluim Chille ("Ì of Colm Cille") to avoid confusion.[13]

Two letters

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Two letters plus article

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These names have a masculine noun of two letters preceded by the definite article An:

Irish name English name Area/feature type Location
An Cé Boat Slip quay Murreagh townland, Kilmalkedar civil parish, Corkaguiny barony, County Kerry[24]
An Cé Pier minor feature Kilfarnoge townland, Ventry civil parish, Corkaguiny barony, County Kerry[25]
An Cé The Quay street Kilkenny[26]
An Há Haw townland Taughboyne civil parish, Raphoe North barony, County Donegal[27]
An Lí Lee townland Ross civil parish and barony, County Galway[28]
An Ré Rea townland Abbeystrowry civil parish, Carbery West (E.D.) barony, County Cork[29]
An Ré Rea townland Kilflyn civil parish, Clanmaurice barony, County Kerry[30]
An Ré Reagh townland Kilcrohane civil parish, Carbery West (W.D.) barony, County Cork[31]
An Rí Newry River river flows through Newry, County Armagh[32]
An Rí Rye Water river flows into the River Liffey at Leixlip[33]
An Rú Roo townland Kilmacduagh civil parish, Kiltartan barony, County Galway[34]
An Rú Roo townland Killora civil parish, Dunkellin barony, County Galway[35]
An Rú Roo townland Aghnamullen civil parish, Cremorne barony, County Monaghan[36]
An Rú Roo Demesne townland Kinvarradoorus civil parish, Kiltartan barony, County Galway[37]
An Rú Roos townland Clonbroney civil parish, Granard barony, County Longford[38]
An Rú Rue townland Kiltoghert civil parish, Leitrim barony, County Leitrim[39]
An Rú Rue Point headland Rathlin Island, County Antrim[40]

Two letters plus article plus lenition

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These names have a feminine noun of two letters preceded by the definite article An. The citation form is the nominative case, in which the noun is lenited. In modern orthography, h is added after the initial consonant, which is thus written with three letters. (In Gaelic type, lenition was shown dot over the letter instead.) The genitive case has two letters (e.g. an Mhí="Meath">na Mí="of Meath").

  • An Bhá (Bay) [41]
  • An Bhó (The Cow Island) [42]
  • An Bhó (Cow Rock) [43]
  • An Ché (Quay) [44]
  • An Ché (The Quay) [45]
  • An Ché (The Quay) [46]
  • An Mhí (Meath) [47]

References

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  1. ^ "Wood of O". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  2. ^ "The Vee". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  3. ^ "The Vee". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  4. ^ O'Farrell, Padraic (1980). How the Irish speak English. Mercier Press. p. 103. Retrieved 18 June 2012. away with us down by Clogheen and across the 'V' to Lismore
  5. ^ Doyle, Lynn (1935). The spirit of Ireland. Batsford. p. 35. Retrieved 18 June 2012. Our route was by the wonderful V road that rises from the plain and winds for endless miles through the heather, and peat, and barren desolation of the Knockmealdowns.
  6. ^ "Bo Hill". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  7. ^ "Bo Island". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  8. ^ "Go Island". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  9. ^ "Ow River". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  10. ^ "Ox Island". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  11. ^ "Slieve Gamph or the Ox Mountains". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  12. ^ "Iona". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  13. ^ Mac an Tàilleir, Iain (2003). "Placenames" (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Parliament. p. 67. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  14. ^ "Lea". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  15. ^ "Lea". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  16. ^ "Lea". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  17. ^ "Louth". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  18. ^ "Louth". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  19. ^ "Louth". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  20. ^ "Louth". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  21. ^ "Louth". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  22. ^ "Hurcle". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  23. ^ "Shee". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  24. ^ "Boat Slip". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  25. ^ "Pier". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  26. ^ "The Quay". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  27. ^ "Haw". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  28. ^ "Lee". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  29. ^ "Rea". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  30. ^ "Rea". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  31. ^ "Reagh". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  32. ^ "Newry River". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  33. ^ "Rye Water". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  34. ^ "Roo". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  35. ^ "Roo". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  36. ^ "Roo". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  37. ^ "Roo Demesne". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  38. ^ "Roos". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  39. ^ "Rue". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  40. ^ "Rue Point". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  41. ^ "Bay". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  42. ^ "The Cow Island". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  43. ^ "Cow Rock". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  44. ^ "Quay". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  45. ^ "The Quay". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  46. ^ "The Quay". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  47. ^ "Meath". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2012.