Ceathrú translates as quarter and was used as a term to describe a land measurement in early Irish history. It was not, however, a fixed unit of measurement; it was often estimated by a fixed number of ploughing days, or a number of days spent grazing.

In many places in Connacht it was deemed to comprise 120 acres of arable land. In English it was generally written as Carrow, Carra, Carry or Carhoo. It is most prolific in Connacht and in Co Clare, and this region accounts for almost 80% of the Ceathrú townland names in Ireland.

On the other hand, it is rarely found in the east of the country and it is not found as a townland name in Kildare, Carlow and Kilkenny. Examining county aggregates, Mayo leads with 190, followed by Galway on 145 and Roscommon on 119.

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In many places, the colour of the grass or foliage that once grew there is recalled: Carraroe, Co Galway (Ceathrú Rua – red quarter); Carrowreagh (Ceathrú Riabhach – striped quarter) and Carrowbehy (Ceathrú Bheithí – quarter of the birches) in Co Roscommon; and Carrowtamy, Co Sligo (Ceathrú an tSamhaidh – quarter of the sorrel).

Some townlands described a natural or manmade feature associated with the land unit: Carrowneadan, Co Sligo (Ceathrú an Éadain – quarter of the hill-brow); and in Co Mayo, Carrownisky (Ceathrú an Uisce – quarter of the water) and Carrowholly (Ceathrú Chalaidh – quarter of the landing-place).

Other placenames describe the size or type of the land unit: Carrowmoreknock, Co Galway (Ceathrú Mhór an Choic – large quarter-land of the hill); and in Co Donegal, Carrowdoan (Ceathrú Domhain – deep quarter); and Carrowmena (Ceathrú Meánach – middle quarter).

Some placenames are repeated time and again throughout the country. Caol (narrow) mór (big) and riabhach (striped) between them form elements of 175 Ceathrú townland names. Co Mayo alone has 20 occurrences of Carrowmore, 17 of Carrowkeel and 8 of Carrowreagh.

As Ceathrú described a measurement of land, it is often found associated with a family or a person’s name: Carrowteige, Co Mayo (Ceathrú Thaidhg – Tadhg’s quarter-land); Carryduff, Co Down, (Ceathrú Aodha Duibh – Black Aodha’s quarter-land); and Carrowflatley, Co Sligo (Ceathrú Uí Flaithile – O’Flatley’s quarter-land).

Famous writers are also associated with such places: Carrowdore in the Ards peninsula, Co Down, (Ceathrú Dobhair – quarter of the water), where the poet Louis MacNeice is buried; and Carrowbane on the banks of the Shannon estuary in Co Limerick (Ceathrú Bán – white quarter) where the early 19th century poet and novelist Gerald Griffin lived in a house named Fairylawn.

Next Time

Next time we will examine the widely dispersed element Ráth (fort), as in Ratoath, Co Meath, (RáthTó – Tó’s fort) and Rathnew, Co Wicklow (Ráth Naoi – Noe’s fort). CL