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In Gaelic, ceas (pronounced kase) means darkness, obscurity; and thence, sadness, sorrow. Ceasacht (pron. kasacht or kest) signifies complaining. Hence the wood pigeon is denominated the ceasacht or quest. Latin, questus (complaint).

In Gaelic Sean (pron. Shan) means old, as senus in Latin. Likewise avon, or awn, signifies river. Hence Shan-avon, or Shannon, means the old river. Ptolemy calls the Shannon Senus. This river nearly sunders Ireland into two unequal parts, being the largest island river in the world.

Hi-Dallan (like Hi-Nial, Hi-Brian) means tribe or territory of Dallan.

Inis-fallan, from inis an island and fallan beautiful. This name was general, but is now appropriated to an islet in the Lake of Killarney.

Lock-lan, i.e. Lake-land, the land of lakes, or Scandinavia.

Momonia is the old name for Munster.

Eiriun (or properly Erin), from the Gaelic iar west, or perhaps eirr snow.

Ir, a prince of the Belgæ who settled in Ireland. They were Scoti (from scutten to shoot).

Tir (Latin terra) means land. Tir-oen, land of Owen.

Atha, palace of the Belgæ.

Teach-mor (Lat. tecta majora) i.e., the great House, or palace of the Irish kings. It is contracted into Temra, and thence into Tara, by ancient writers. Lara is in Conacht (Connaught).

Ullin and Ulladh (achamel-house) are Gaelic names for Ulster.

O'Ruark, now spelled O'Rourke, Prince of Breifné. Properly Hi-Ruarach.

Icrné is another name for Ireland, derived from iar, west; thus Claudian—flwit glacialis Ierné.