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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Topic started by: TonyR on Friday 16 January 09 16:26 GMT (UK)

Title: *COMPLETED* Irish pronunciation help needed?
Post by: TonyR on Friday 16 January 09 16:26 GMT (UK)

Hi all, I'm trying to resolve following puzzle & hope Chatters can help.

From Rathvilly parish records in County Carlow, I have come across two parent's 'Residences' listed as Tomboy & Knockboy.

Searching a map of the area around Rathvilly, to the east there is a place named Knockevagh & then a bit further east, a place named Tombeagh.

Does anyone know if Knockevagh & Tombeagh would be pronounced as Knockboy & Tomboy?  Thanks in advance.  Regards, TonyR.

Title: Re: Irish pronunciation help needed?
Post by: shanew147 on Friday 16 January 09 16:32 GMT (UK)

theres a townland of  Knockboy in Rathvilly Civil parish
and theres a townland of Tombeagh nearby in the next Civil parish         

see the townland database at : http://www.thecore.com/seanruad



Shane

Title: Re: Irish pronunciation help needed?
Post by: Rody Lee on Friday 16 January 09 22:55 GMT (UK)

Try this site and key in all 4 names.

http://www.logainm.ie/?uiLang=en

There is a Tomboy in Co. Wexford which confuses matters a little but Knockboy/Knockevagh seems to hang together.

Purely on pronunciation, allowing for anglicization, what you are proposing is reasonable.

Title: Re: Irish pronunciation help needed?
Post by: TonyR on Saturday 17 January 09 08:10 GMT (UK)

Hi Shane & Rody Lee, thanks for the help & advice.  Looking at the sites you both mention & a different map I have found Knockboy, it's very close to & just north-east of Rathvilly.  It wasn't listed on my first map, perhaps because it is so close to Rathvilly that they couldn't fit the name in!

Tombeagh remains the only possibility though & if it could be pronounced as Tomboy, then I guess it's a definite maybe.  Thanks again for your time & interest.  Regards, TonyR.

Title: Re: Irish pronunciation help needed?
Post by: shanew147 on Saturday 17 January 09 08:31 GMT (UK)

Tomboy could easily be the anglicised version of Tombeagh - as there is no Y in Irish. Sometime place names in Englinsh are translations, sometimes just a similar sounding word spelt in English.

The gh at the end of Tombeagh can be almost silent - I would have said it something like tom bay.

There a short explanation of the gh sound in Irish on the Wiki article at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gh_(digraph)


Shane

Title: Re: Irish pronunciation help needed?
Post by: Rody Lee on Saturday 17 January 09 22:35 GMT (UK)

I would agree with a definite maybe...

Title: Re: Irish pronunciation help needed?
Post by: TonyR on Sunday 18 January 09 07:56 GMT (UK)

Thanks for the link Shane, it helps to explain Irish pronunciation.

Rody - it will be a definite maybe, trouble is I have too many maybes & not eonough definites, all part of the fun I believe.  Thanks both for your interest, shall mark topic as completed now.  Regards, TonyR.

Title: Re: *COMPLETED* Irish pronunciation help needed?
Post by: Greg0220 on Tuesday 10 April 18 05:51 BST (UK)

It is the same. I see it spelled Tombey in the registers I was looking through. Oftentimes, a new priest arrives and the spelling changes.