Garrywilliam

Garrywilliam – William’s garden. Local folklore claims that the townland was named after a Co. Clare man, William Casey, who came ashore at Port a’ Chathasaigh (​p​urt ​k​awsuh​).

Gort Cíbe (​g​u​rt ​kibeh) – The field of sedge.

Gort Annsa (​g​urt ​oouns​uh) – The favourite field.

Cúlóg Mhór (​k​oo​l​oh​g v​oo-u​r​) – ​The large recess.

Barra na Cúlóige Móire (​b​o​r​uh ​n​uh ​k​oolohgeh ​
m​oo-ereh) – Top of the large recess.

Páirc Uachtarach (​p​awrk oo-a​cht​ur​uch​) –​ ​
The upper field.

Páirc Íochtarach (​p​awrk eecht​u​r​ach) –
The lower field.

The Big Stone.

An Góilín (u​n g​ohleen) – The inlet.

Poinnte Góilín (​p​eenteh ​g​ohleen) – Point of the inlet.

The Boiler Hole – In April 1900, the steam fishing boat, the ​Salamander​, was wrecked here with the loss of one life. The boiler from the boat remained jammed between the rocks for many years afterwards.

Leac na mBallach (la​k n​uh ​m​u​l​o​ch​) – Flagstone of the wrasse/connor fish. In more recent years the connor fish were used only as bait in lobster pots.

An Rinn (u​n ​reen) – The point.

Rinn Commonage.

The Castle – A rock in the shape of the castellated top of a fortification.

Páirc na Reanna (​p​awrk ​n​uh ra​n​uh) –
The point field.

An Caipín (u​n k​opeen) – The small cap.

Tóin ​na​ Reanna (​t​ohn ​n​uh ra​n​uh) – End of the point.

Cuas a’ Nae (​k​oo-us ​uh​ n​ay) – Cove of the boat.

Fionntrá Mhór (fyoo​n-tr​aw ​v​oo-u​r​) – Large fair/white strand.

The Big Stone – A marker for picking carraigín moss.

Fionntrá Bheag (fyoo​n-tr​aw vyu​g​) – The small fair/white strand.

An Claí Dearg (u​n kl​ee darog​​) – The red wall.

An Bán (u​n b​aw​n​) – The fallow field.

Oileán ​Mhóire​ (​il​awn ​v​ohreh) – Mór’s island.
A woman’s name. It was the name of some prominent women in ancient Irish history.

Fionntrá (fyoo​n-tr​aw) – The fair/white strand.

The Flags – Strata of limestone rock on the cliff face.

Na Cuasanna (​n​uh ​k​oo-us​un​uh) – The Cuases; the coves.

Cuas Mór (​k​oo-us ​m​oo-u​r​) – The big cove. In 1918, a thirteen year old local boy was driving his cows to the field when he lost his footing and fell to the bottom of the cuas. Badly injured, he was taken home where he survived for a number of weeks. Although in great pain, immediately before passing away he sang a verse of the republican ballad, ‘Ireland Boys Hurrah’.

Cuas an Fhiaich (​k​oo-us ​u​n ​ee-a) – Cuas of the raven. Name derived from a colony of choughs nesting in the cuas.

Cuas an Uisce (koo-us un ishkeh) – Cove of the water. There is a spring well at the bottom of the cove, a badly needed source of fresh water for the local people.

Páircíní (​p​awrkeenee) – The small fields.

The Spa – A spring well exposed at low tide where the local people got drinking water.

Tóin na Páirce (​t​ohn ​n​uh ​p​awrkeh) – The far end ​of the field.

The Snassy Log – A pool covered in green algae/snas (​sn​a​s​).

Páirc a’ Ráithín (​p​awrk uh r​awheen) – The field of the small fort. A souterrain, discovered in the 1930’s or 1940’s, runs between two fields.

Gáirdín (​g​awrdeen) – Garden or Garraí Liaim (​g​a​r​ee lee-em) William’s Garden. Local tradition places his castle here.

Clocha Liaim (​kl​u​ch​uh lee-em) – William’s stones. A hump of stones immediately to the south of the Garrywilliam houses. ‘Cloichear (​kl​u​h​ur​​) ‘gWilliam’, according to An Seabhac who assumed that the name was short for MacWilliam.

Garrywilliam village – In 1841 it had a population of 77 with 14 inhabited houses.

The Cliffs. Fields.