The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (@placenamesni) 's Twitter Profile
The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project

@placenamesni

@QUBelfast project exploring the linguistic origins of townland and other historical names. Funded by @communitiesNI. Tweets @proinsy [email protected]

ID: 3060524387

linkhttp://www.placenamesni.org/ calendar_today25-02-2015 02:05:53

10,10K Tweet

7,7K Followers

762 Following

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (@placenamesni) 's Twitter Profile Photo

So strictly speaking there are two on the map. The civil parish (and townland) of Muff is near Derry whereas there is another Muff in the civil parish of Culdaff to the north of Inishowen peninsula. The third muff is a townland in Co. Derry, close to the village of Greysteel.

So strictly speaking there are two on the map. The civil parish (and townland) of Muff is near Derry whereas there is another Muff in the civil parish of Culdaff to the north of Inishowen peninsula. The third muff is a townland in Co. Derry, close to the village of Greysteel.
The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (@placenamesni) 's Twitter Profile Photo

John O'Donovans letters might contain evidence of change in process where he notes that local pronunciations resemble 'something between mugh and muff'.

John O'Donovans letters might contain evidence of change in process where he notes that local pronunciations resemble 'something between mugh and muff'.
The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (@placenamesni) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Probably not, Maghera doesn't derive from magh, but from Machaire (Machaire Rátha ‘plain of the fort’), usually anglicised Maghera (like in Magherabeg (Machaire Beag). Also O'Donovan tells us that Muff tends to come from magh when there is no postfix (something coming after magh)

Probably not, Maghera doesn't derive from magh, but from Machaire (Machaire Rátha ‘plain of the fort’), usually anglicised Maghera (like in Magherabeg (Machaire Beag). Also O'Donovan tells us that Muff tends to come from magh when there is no postfix (something coming after magh)
The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (@placenamesni) 's Twitter Profile Photo

While we saw earlier that the anglicisation of magh 'plain' to muff is relatively uncommon, one could imagine An Ómaigh ‘the virgin plain’ emerging as Omuff 😳😳😳

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (@placenamesni) 's Twitter Profile Photo

The Derry townland of Movenis (Maigh Inis 'plain of the isle'), exhibits evidence of the final ‘gh’ of Maigh changing to ‘v’ and a similar change appears to be present in the nearby Craigavole (Creig an Ghuail 'rock of the coal'). In nearby Donegal, magh is anglicised Muff.

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (@placenamesni) 's Twitter Profile Photo

@BernardJMolloy6 Dr Frances Kane Yes, of course, and both phonemes represent voiced/devoiced examples of the same form, in that muff- and mav- are essentially a minimal pair.

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (@placenamesni) 's Twitter Profile Photo

The original name of the village of Eglinton was Muff (An Mhagh ‘the plain’) from the townland in which it is situated on the east bank of the Muff River. It was changed to Eglinton in 1858. Anglicisation of Magh to Muff is relatively uncommon, but also appears in Co. Donegal

The original name of the village of Eglinton was Muff (An Mhagh ‘the plain’) from the townland in which it is situated on the east bank of the Muff River. It was changed to Eglinton in 1858. Anglicisation of Magh to Muff is relatively uncommon, but also appears in Co. Donegal
The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (@placenamesni) 's Twitter Profile Photo

The pronunciation of Muff seems to reflect the original Irish but this may have been reinforced by the pronunciation in English of ‘gh’ as ‘f’ in words such as ‘cough’ and ‘rough’ The Irish News irishnews.com/arts/thebluffe


The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (@placenamesni) 's Twitter Profile Photo

We also have a Muff in Derry! It was changed to Eglinton in 1858 when the Earl of Eglinton was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. placenamesni.org/resultdetails.


Logainm.ie (@logainm_ie) 's Twitter Profile Photo

NeantanĂĄn i gCiarraĂ­ Nantinan Kerry logainm.ie/en/23369 'place of nettles' neanntanĂĄn = 'a nettle shrubbery; the name of a village near Killorglin, Kerry' - Ó DuinnĂ­n FĂ©ach tĂ©ama faoi thrĂĄcht: 'Nimh san ainm' 'Townland names with a sting' logainm.ie/ga/teamai

NeantanĂĄn i gCiarraĂ­ 
Nantinan Kerry
logainm.ie/en/23369
'place of nettles'

neanntanán = 'a nettle shrubbery; the name of a village near Killorglin, Kerry' - Ó Duinnín

Féach téama faoi thråcht: 
'Nimh san ainm'
'Townland names with a sting'
logainm.ie/ga/teamai
eOnomast (@eug1979) 's Twitter Profile Photo

e-Onomastics: đŸ—ș #Deirdre #Flanagan #Memorial #Lecture 2025: The #Placenames of #Inishowen e-onomastics.blogspot.com/2025/05/deirdr
 Speaker: Justin Ó GliasĂĄin (An Brainse Logainmneacha, An Roinn TurasĂłireachta, CultĂșir, EalaĂ­on, Gaeltachta, SpĂłirt agus MeĂĄn)

e-Onomastics: đŸ—ș #Deirdre #Flanagan #Memorial #Lecture 2025: The #Placenames of #Inishowen e-onomastics.blogspot.com/2025/05/deirdr
 Speaker: Justin Ó GliasĂĄin (An Brainse Logainmneacha, An Roinn TurasĂłireachta, CultĂșir, EalaĂ­on, Gaeltachta, SpĂłirt agus MeĂĄn)
Logainm.ie (@logainm_ie) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Traolachbt35 Department of Culture, Communications and Sport Dept Rural & Community Development & the Gaeltacht The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project Foghlaim TG4 Biodiversity Ireland wildflowerhour Donegal County Council Donegal County Library The toponymic element 'MĂ­n' occurs frequently across Donegal: MĂ­n an Albanaigh/Meenanalbany MĂ­n an Aoire/Meenaneary MĂ­n an Arbhair/Meenanarwa MĂ­n an Bhaill Deirg/Meenawilderg MĂ­n an Bhainne/Meenawannia MĂ­n an Bhealaigh/Meenavally MĂ­n an Chait/Meenachuit...

<a href="/TraolachBT35/">Traolachbt35</a> <a href="/DeptCultureIRL/">Department of Culture, Communications and Sport</a> <a href="/DeptRCDG/">Dept Rural & Community Development & the Gaeltacht</a> <a href="/placenamesni/">The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project</a> <a href="/FoghlaimTG4/">Foghlaim TG4</a> <a href="/BioDataCentre/">Biodiversity Ireland</a> <a href="/wildflower_hour/">wildflowerhour</a> <a href="/donegalcouncil/">Donegal County Council</a> <a href="/DonegalLibrary/">Donegal County Library</a> The toponymic element 'MĂ­n' occurs frequently across Donegal:
MĂ­n an Albanaigh/Meenanalbany
MĂ­n an Aoire/Meenaneary
MĂ­n an Arbhair/Meenanarwa
MĂ­n an Bhaill Deirg/Meenawilderg
MĂ­n an Bhainne/Meenawannia
MĂ­n an Bhealaigh/Meenavally
MĂ­n an Chait/Meenachuit...
Dr Frances Kane (@proinsy) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Re-sharing some Muff bits and pieces ahead of the The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project UPNS Spring Lecture this week with Justin Ó Gliasáin Logainm.ie on 'The Place-Names of Inishowen'. All welcome!

Re-sharing some Muff bits and pieces ahead of the <a href="/placenamesni/">The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project</a> UPNS Spring Lecture this week with Justin Ó Gliasáin <a href="/logainm_ie/">Logainm.ie</a> on 'The Place-Names of Inishowen'. All welcome!
RTÉ News (@rtenews) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Donegal County Council is set to ask the Government to establish a new public holiday in honour of Saint Colmcille - also known as St Columba - the only Irish patron saint without a public holiday rte.ie/news/regional/


Logainm.ie (@logainm_ie) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Ceann LĂ©ime i gCo. an ChlĂĄir Loop Head Clare logainm.ie/en/104201 Ceann LĂ©ime ‘headland of the chasm’ 'The longer name of the lĂ©im ‘chasm’ (literally ‘leap’) in question is LĂ©im Con Culainn ‘the leap of CĂș Chulainn’. FĂ©ach tĂ©amaĂ­ fao thrĂĄcht: logainm.ie/en/themes

Ceann Léime i gCo. an Chlåir
Loop Head Clare
logainm.ie/en/104201

Ceann LĂ©ime ‘headland of the chasm’

'The longer name of the lĂ©im ‘chasm’ (literally ‘leap’) in question is LĂ©im Con Culainn ‘the leap of CĂș Chulainn’.

Féach téamaí fao thråcht:
logainm.ie/en/themes