Gaelic names

Years ago, all Irish people spoke Gaelic, and this language is still spoken in some parts of Ireland, although today all Irish people speak English also. Evidence of Gaelic is still found in place names, for example 'bally' - town, 'slieve' - mountain, 'lough' - lake, 'inis' - island, 'drum' - mountain top, 'glen' - valley.

The influence of Irish Gaelic is also found in the names of people. Here are some typical Gaelic first names:

Sean, same as John

Seamus, same as James

Liam, same as William

Seanna, same as Joanna

Brid, same as Bridget

Catail, same as Charles

Paddy (short for Patrick) and Micky (short for Michael) are not Gaelic names but they are found so often in Ireland that these two names are sometimes used jokingly to mean 'an Irishman'.

Many Irish surnames begin:

Here are some examples:

O'Brien

O'Neil

Kilmartin

Fitzwilliam

Fitzgerald

Gilmurray

MacMahon

MacHugh

Susan Sheerin, Jonathan Seath, Gillian White: Spotlight on Britain; Oxford University Press, 1985, page 110