Irish Names & Surnames

Today we're going to learn about Irish names & surnames. You'll be surprised after reading this article!

In Old Ireland the population was much smaller and families used to stay in the same area for generations. It was common for people to be known only by one name, if there was no one else witn that name in the same village.

When the population started to grow, they created another way to distinguish people: adding a prefix to the name. This way, Mac (or Mc) and Ó were created. Mac means 'son of' while Ó means 'grandson of' in Irish. Can you guess what the famous surnames Mac Donald or O'Hara stand for?

When the English invaded Ireland, they enforced their language and way of life. They also changed many of the Irish names and surnames to their English translation or equivalent. Some of them were misspelled when doing so. 

Below there's a list of the most common Irish surnames and their meaning:

1. Murphy: The Sea Battlers
2. Kelly: The Bright-Headed Ones
3. O'Sullivan: The hawkeyed Ones
4. Walsh: The Welshmen
5. O'Brien: The Noblemen
6: Byrne: The Ravens
7: Ryan: The Little Kings. It's also a very popular first name in the UK and the US
8: O'Connor: Patrons of Warriors
9: O'Neill: From Niall of the Nine Hostages.
10: O'Reilly: Descendants of Raghaillach. The variation Riley is a very popular first name for boys and girls in the US.

Some Irish names were anglicised without any etymological relation. This way, the Irish name Áine is accepted as Anne or Anna, though they don't have any connection.

Below there's a list of some common Irish names and their translated version. We're sure you've seen lots of these names worldwide, either their Irish spelling or their anglicised version, and you didn't even know they came from Ireland!

Feminine names:
Aisling, Aislin, Ashling
Áine
Aoibhe, Aoife: translated as Eve or Eva
Brid, Brighid: translated as Bridget or Brigit
Ciara
Deirdre
Eithne: translated as Edna, Enya or Etna
Eimear, Eimhear: translated as Emer
Fiona
Saoirse: meaning 'freedom'
Sinéad

Masculine names:
Ailín: translated as Allen
Aodhán: translated as Aidan
Aonghus: translated as Angus
Barra, Bairre, Bearach: translated as Barrie or Barry
Breandán, Breanndán: translated as Brendan
Brian: written as Bryan or Brian in English
Coilean, Coilín, Cuileán: translated as Colin or Collin
Caoimhín: translated as Kevin
Caolán: translated as Kyle
Carraig: translated as Craig
Ciarán: translated as Keiran or Kieran
Coireall: translated as Cyril
Cormac: translated as Charles
Dónall: translated as Donald
Dubhghlas. translated as Douglas
Eoghan: translated as Owen
Laoiseach: translated as Louis or Lewis
Maolcholm: translated as Malcolm
Niall: translated as Neil or Neal
Riain: translated as Ryan
Oscar, Oskar
Rónán: translated as Ronan
Séadna: translated as Sidney
Treabhair: translated as Trevor

This is Halloween!

Did you know that Halloween originated in old Ireland?

To understand the origin of Halloween, we have to go back to the festival of Shamhain in old celtic times.
Samhain was a fire festival celebrated on the evening of 31 October and throughout the 1st of November. It carried the idea of getting rid of the old and embracing the new. For the celts, this festival also involved the gathering of the crops, placed in storage for the cold winter ahead.

This was also the last day of the year for them, when the souls of the dead would return to their homes, bad spirits came from the 'other world' and could be seen by mortals. For the Celts, the year started on the 1st of November with the arrival of winter and its long and cold nights. The evening before this day was known as Hallows' Eve (Hallow means sacred or holy) and this word evolved into Halloween.

For the Celts, this day was very spiritual as it was a transition between years. This day meant the boundaries between the two worlds were weaker, so all the spirits and fairies could come to our world. To protect themselves, the Celts used bonfires and wore ugly disguises and masks on their faces so that the spirits could not identify them. They also made lots of noise to drive the spirits away from their homes. Another way to protect their homes was by creating scary faces on turnips with a lit candle inside. Nowadays, pumpkins are being used instead.

The origin of Halloween's 'trick or treat' was a ritual of collecting food (eggs, nuts, fruits...) from homes. Those who gave food received protection from bad luck, while those who didn't give anything would have a trick played on them.
Also, if you remember Irish history, thousands of Irish emigrated to America during the famine years and they took their traditions with them, including Halloween. 

Now that you know more about the origin of Halloween, let's get ready for this year's Halloween!

There will be lots of costume parties in pubs all around Ireland and also other types of events, for example:
-Run For Your Lives (a zombie marathon in Malahide Castle on Sunday 25) 
-'90s Horror Film Festival at the Light House Cinema

City Hall

The City Hall of Dublin, originally the Royal Exchange, was built in the 1770s and is a notable example of 18th-century architecture. It's located at the top of Parliament Street, next to Dublin Castle. 

Nowadays most Dublin City Council staff and activities take place in the Civic Offices on Wood Quay, which does not have the charm of the old City Hall.

The City Hall is not always open to the public, however it's usually open for exhibitions and cultural events like Heritage Week or Saint Patrick's. 

Watch out next time you read or see the City Hall is open to the public!

Dublin city hall at night in Ireland.

Dublinia

Do you want to know more about the past of Dublin city? A good place to get started is Dublinia, beside Christchurch.

Dublinia is a heritage centre in the heart of Dublin City, first opened in 1993 and redeveloped in 2010. In this big museum, you'll learn about Viking Dublin, which takes the visitor back to life in the city in Viking times. You'll see what life was like on board a Viking warship, visit a Viking house and learn about the Viking legacy in Dublin.

You'll see how life was back in Medieval Dublin and during the Black Death years and you'll also have the chance to climb the medieval St Michael’s Tower for views over Dublin.

To learn more about this museum and see its opening hours and prices, please visit their official site here.

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Trinity College

You've probably visited Trinity College a hundred times. Maybe you're studying in Trinity College!

Trinity College is Ireland's oldest university and it was founded in 1592. Due to its picturesque setting and the famous people connected with it - Oscar Wilde studied here - Trinity College is one of the city's main attractions. The Trinity library displays the world's most famous early medieval manuscript, the Book Of Kells.

As one of the oldest universities in the British Isles, Trinity College is a symbol for the importance of Dublin as an economic and political power in the 16th century. Originally set up in 1592 for the education of the protestant elite, Trinity opened its doors to Catholics in 1793. The college first admitted women to its courses in 1904. The majority of buildings on the Trinity campus date from the 18th century.

Facts about Trinity College:

• Trinity College Dublin is recognised internationally as Ireland's premier university and is ranked in 61st position in the top 100 world universities.
• The University of Dublin, Trinity College was founded in 1592
• There were 16,646 registered students in 2012/13
• The university's annual Trinity Ball is one of Dublin's major social events and ranks among the most lavish student nights in Europe.
• The most precious single item on the Trinity campus is undoubtedly the Book of Kells. The book is an illuminated manuscript from 800AD which is housed in the Old Library building of the university. 
• A librarian turns over a new page of The Book Of Kells every day. SO if you come here for a year, you would get to see the entire manuscript. 
• The Original Name Of Trinity College Was “Trinity College Near Dublin”. The capital was a lot smaller then.