#connachta

Conn of the Hundred Battles was a legendary High King of Ireland who is claimed to be the ancestor of the Connachta, and through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Ireland in the early Middle Ages.

Although some historians regard him as a purely mythical figure, the Irish Annals suggest that his rule over the northern half of Ireland was real, and that his epithet was used to extalt his image as an invincible warrior. Modern linguists suggest that the Gaelic term cét- sometimes meant ‘first’ or ‘primal’, and cathach translates as ‘warrior’. Thus, the name originally meant ‘the first great warrior’, a term which over time came to be popularly interpreted as ‘a hundred battles’. He is such a central figure in Irish mythology that the province of Connacht takes its name from him

267. Muiredach Tirech was a semi-legendary High King of Ireland of the fourth century.

274. Ailill Molt was High King of Ireland from 459 to 478.

When I wrote Notable Irish Toponymy, I had not realised that Muckanaghederdauhaulia had been dethroned as the longest single-word place name in Ireland. If you remember the post or know this place, you’ll know it’s in Galway.

In fact, five of the top five longest Irish place names are in Galway. They are now:

Bullaunancheathrairaluinn: Ballán an Cheathrair Álainn Inishmore, Galway

Sruffaunoughterluggatoora: Sruthán Uachtar Log an tSamhraidh Ballynahinch, Galway

Loughaunbarnaheskabaunia: Lochán Bairr na h-Eascaide Báine Ballynahinch, Galway

Sruffaungolinluggatavhin: Sruthán Góilín Log an Tafainn Ballynahinch, Galway

Templeancheathrairaluinn: Teampall an Cheathrair Álainn Inishmore: Galway

The first one, Ballán an Cheatrair Álainn means “bullaun of the Four Comely Saints”. The Four Comely Saints, or an Ceathrar Álainn, was a collective name for Fursey, Brendan of Birr, Conall, and Berchán, four saints in the early Irish Christian church reported to have been buried on Inishmore.

The same goes for number five on the list—Teampall an Cheathrair Álainn, the temple of the Four Comely Saints.

As for the rest, there is only one that’s definitively translated:

Lochán Bairr na h-Eascaide Báine Pool at the top of the white quagmire

Ard na Riag, outside Ballina, is a hill situated south of the village Ard-narea. The battle of Ardnaree took place here in 1586 (at the time part of Co. Sligo) and Sir Richard Bingham hanged four leaders of the Mayo Burkes, who were in rebellion of the English rule. 

I was occupied with thoughts of uachtar reoite wondered why uachtar appeared to be the basis of uachtarán; initially presuming it was derived a la crème de la crème. Confirming Uachtarán to be indeed derived from uachtar, with the modifying suffix -án to create a masculine noun, I then sought my next answer: why uachtar?

As it turns out, I was close. Uachtar doesn’t just mean cream, but also has alternate meanings of surface, summit, and top. Self explanatory, that one.

To add on, towns Uachtar Ard  in counties Clare, Galway and Kildare mean High Summit or Great Heights.