Inis may translate as island and is sometimes used to describe a meadow that seasonally floods. In other instances, it’s also used to describe a peninsula. One remembers the poet W.B. Yeats’ poem, the Lake Isle of Innisfree, in Lough Gill, Co Sligo. Innisfree meaning Inis Fraoigh – island of the heather.

A fine example of its use describing a peninsula is Inishowen, Co Donegal (Inis Eoghain – Eoghan’s island), and Inistoige, Co Kilkenny (Inis Tíog – Tíog’s water meadow).

Inis is found as a townland name in every county except Leitrim and Louth. The placename element is especially profuse in west Cork, south Kerry and around the lakelands of Fermanagh. Cork and Kerry lead the county totals with 65 and 43 respectively, followed by Clare with 29. For some unknown reason, Inis is rare in Connacht and Donegal.

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In English, Inis is generally written as ennis, inish or inch. The placename element is found in two of our county towns: Ennis, Co Clare (Inis – island); and Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh (Inis Ceithleann – Ceithle’s island).

Some well-known villages also come to mind: Ennistymon, Co Clare (Inis Díomán – Díomán’s island); the Dublin district of Inchicore (Inis Chór – island of the snout); and the place the writer Alice Taylor now calls home, Inishannon, Co Cork (Inis Eonáin – Eonán’s island).

Summer holidays and long days of sunshine may be remembered in Inishcrone, Co Sligo (Inis Crabhann – island of the gravel-ridge of the river); Inch, Co Kerry (Inis – island); and Inchigeelagh (Inis Geimhleach – island of the prisoner) in west Cork.

Inis landscapes were fertile and were widely utilised in the past for the grazing of farm animals: Inishbarra, Co Galway (Inis Bearacháin – island of the heifers); Iniskeeragh, Co Donegal (Inis Chaorach – island of the sheep); and Inchnamuck, Co Tyrone (Inis na Muc – island of the pigs).

Many islands around the coast have inis placenames: Inisheer (Inis Oirthir – eastern island) and Inishmaan (Inis Meáin – middle island) in the Aran Islands; Inishboffin in counties Donegal and Galway (Inis Bó Finne – island of the white cow); and Inishmurray, Co Sligo (Inis Muirí – Muireadhach’s island).

Moving south to the Blasket Islands off Co Kerry: Inishtooskert (Inis Tuaisceart – northern island); and the domain of a former Taoiseach, Inishvickillane (Inis Mhicileáin – Micileán’s island).

While generally found as the first element of a placename, inis is recorded in about one-quarter of cases as the end element. Examples include: Aughinish (Eachinis – horse island) in counties Clare and Limerick and the county Clare town of Lehinch (Leath Inse – peninsula).

Next time

Next time, we shall take a look at Gort (field or arable field), such as Gortahork/Gortahurk (Gort an Choirce – field of the oats) in counties Derry, Donegal, Fermanagh and Leitrim.

Readers’ queries

• Agnes, the field names in your vicinity shows the richness of the surviving local placenames in many parts of the country. Corrig (carrig – a rock); Parcnahawan (Páirc na hAbhann – field of the river); Tubrick (Tiobraid – the well); and Gattabawn (Geata Bán – white gate).

• On the likely translation of the townland of Moneydurtlog near Ferns, Co Wexford, one cannot be certain what it means. However, Celestine Rafferty in his 2004 book, Between Place and Parish, was of the view that it was from Muine na dTurlóg (the shrubbery of the winter lakes).

• Killeenerk, Co Westmeath, Killeen translates as Cillín (a small church). However, I have no idea what the last part of the placename ‘erk’ means.

• Moyvore, Co Westmeath, some say it means Maigh Mhora – Mora’s plain. Mora being a personal name. Others would argue that it may mean Maigh Mór – great plain.

• Dangans, near Mountmellick, Co Laois, translates as Daingean – fortress.