The placename element Árd has the most occurrences in Co Cork, being recorded 119 times, followed by Galway on 72 and Kerry on 68. Árd is not generally associated with regions of mountain and hills, but is found mostly in districts of lowland and plain where any change in the topography may earn the tag Árd.

It has a strong showing though north Roscommon and south Sligo and in coastal lands in west Cork, Kerry and around Donegal Bay. In some places, it can be confused with Aird (big point), but this placename is mainly found in coastal areas, as in Ardmore in counties Waterford and Galway.

In the early Christian era, elevated and well-drained places were favoured for settlement. This placename element is associated with such places: Arless, Co Laois (Árd Lios – the height of the fort); and Ardara, Co Donegal, (Árd Rátha – height of the fort).

The element Árd is commonly used in association with vegetation: Ardattin, Co Carlow (Árd Attinn – height of the gorse); Ardlougher, Co Cavan (Árd Luachra – height of the rushes); and Ardrahan, Co Galway (Árd Rathain – height of the ferns).

Árd placenames also record areas of beauty: Ardkeen (Árd Caoin – pleasant height) recorded in counties Tipperary, Mayo and Down; and Ardglass (Árd Glas – green height) found in counties Cork, Donegal and Roscommon.

Elevated places were chosen as places of execution as they were visible over a wide area: Ardanrea (Árd na Riadhadh – height of the executions) near Ballina, Co Mayo. Four executions took place here in the seventh century for the murder of a bishop. Other examples included: Ardnagroghery, Co Cork (Árd na gCrocaire – height of the hangman); and Ardnacrohy, Co Limerick (Árd na Croiche – height of the gallows).

Some Árd placenames have religious associations: Ardpatrick, Co Limerick (Árd Pádraig – Patrick’s height), named after our patron saint, Saint Patrick; Ardfinnan, Co Tipperary, (Árd Finan – Finan’s height), Saint Finan founded a monastery there in the seventh century; and Ardbraccan, Co Meath (Árd Brecan – Brecan’s height), called after a sixth century saint, Saint Brecan, who founded a church there before going to the Aran Islands.

Elsewhere, we find Ardnaglug, Co Westmeath (Árd na gClog – height of the bell); and Ardkearagh, Co Kerry (Árd Caorach – height of sheep).

Last, but by no mean least, the first hydroelectric station in the country, bulit in 1929, was in Ardnacrusha, Co Clare (Árd na Croise – height of the cross).

next time

Next time we will look at the element Droim (a ridge), as in Drommahane, Co Cork (Droim Átháin – ridge of the little ford) and Drumcar, Co Louth (Droim Chora – ridge of the weir). CL