Annual Tree Week Lecture: Trees and Woodland Names in Irish Placenames by John McLoughlin, Society of Irish Foresters

While we have lost almost all of our native woodlands, we continue to have a record of their existence through our placenames. Did you know that in Ireland we currently have 328 baronies, 2,509 civil parishes and 61,119 townlands.  It is estimated that 13,000 townlands or 20% are named after trees, groves of trees and the uses of trees. Since trees are highly visible in the landscape, it is not surprising that so many of our placenames have derived from trees and woods. Today, if a forest were to spring up everywhere there is a tree-associated name in a townland, the country would once more be clothed with an almost uninterrupted succession of forests.. Prior to road signs, with which we are so familiar today, natural, and manmade features were the only directional sources. Placenames have been evolving since the dawn of Irish civilisation when most of the country was heavily forested and trees had a prominent role in the economy. Trees provided raw materials, medicine, weapons, tools, charcoal, food (in the form of berries, nuts, fungi, fruit, wild animals, etc.), geographical markers as well as the basis for spirituality and wisdom.  Townlands are smallest unit of the division of land, there are 1,200 called after the oak tree, our National Tree. Five of our counties are named after trees.  It is believed that 80% of the townland names are derived from the Irish language.

All are welcome.

This event is worth 15 CPD points to those registered on the Society of Irish Foresters’ CPD Programme.