Gortagowan, County Tyrone
Ir. Gort na nGamhna 'field of the calves'
Although the local pronunciation would seem to represent Gort Uí Ghabhainn 'O'Gowan's field' (a form also postulated by the O.S.N.B), this is most unlikely to be the correct rendering of the name. The documentation represents a predominant occurrence of the article in the name.
On surface appearance, the early documentation represents the article as a feminine genitive singular. However gamhain 'calf' is a masculine noun. This leads me to conclude that the second and final elements are, respectively, the genitive plural article and the genitive plural gamhna from gamhain. It is noticeable that the documentation does not represent the genitive plural article followed by nasalisation in the early forms. However, ng particularly in the initial position in the element gave difficulty to English scribes; Dún na nGall is always anglicised Donegal and Baile na nGall (A.G.B.P., 61) in Co. Kerry is anglicised Ballynagall.
Assuming Gortnegownagh (et var.) does represent Gort na nGamhna, some of the spelling forms may be seen to indicate a genitive plural gamhnach, although the anglicisation of unstressed syllables is not always a reliable indicator.
I have also considered Gort na Gamhnaí (< gamhnach f. 'stripper') but the aí ending is at variance with the early anglicised spelling forms. It might also be noted that gamhnach is not attested in Tyrone Irish, while gamhain fireann 'male calf' and gamhainn baineann are recorded (Stockman, G. and Wagner, H., op. cit., 80).
Another noticeable feature in the documentation is the gradual loss of the final syllable. The final syllable is strongly represented in the greater part of the 17th century. However, by the 18th century the final syllable has fallen out of use (except for a recurrence in 1744 and 1807).
ReferencesMcCann (1982, 78-79)
Historical name form
|Old Form||Ref. Date||Reference|
|gortnegawnah||1609||Esch. Co. Map 12 Dunganon pt|
|Gortnegawnagh||1610||CPR Jas I 163b|
|Kilnegar 2 b''bos||1610||CPR Jas I 163b|
|Gortnagawnagh||1630||Lodge RR 1A 53,54,247|
|Gortnegawnagh||1630||Ex. Inq. (Tyr) Car.I $5|
|Killnegarr alias Lisnean||1630||Ex. Inq. (Tyr) Car.I $5|
|Gortnegamuna||1655c||Civ. Surv. p.261,302|
|Lissnanean||1655c||Civ. Surv. 261,302|
|Lissnenean||1655c||Civ. Surv. 261|
|Gortnegaven||1664||HMR Tyr. (1) 2|
|Gortnegoune||1666||HMR Tyr. (2) 234|
|Lisnenean||1666||HMR Tyr. (2) 234|
|Gortuagonan||1710||Reg. Deeds (McCann) Vol.4/467|
|Gortnagown||1716||Reg. Deeds (McCann) Vol.16/279|
|Lisnane||1736||Reg. Deeds (McCann) Lib.81/547|
|Lisnanein, Lisneane||1736||Reg. Deeds (McCann) Lib.86/343|
|Gortagownagh othw Gortnagavan||1744||Reg. Deeds (McCann) Vol.114/529|
|Gortnagounagh/Gortnagavin/Gortega[?]nnan||1807||Reg. Deeds (McCann) Vol.626/162|
|Killegarre othw Culligur/Lysnean/ Lisnane||1807||Reg. Deeds (McCann) Lib.587/402|
|Lisinanane||1809||Reg. Deeds (McCann) Lib.602/509|
|Gortagowan||1835c||OSNB: gen. sources D24no43|
|Gortygowan||1835c||OSNB: gen. sources D24no43|
|Lisnanane [Lisna''nane]||1835c||OSNB: gen. sources D24no43|
|~Gort Ui/ Gobhainn ""O''Gowan''s field""||1835c||J O'D (OSNB) D24no43|
|~Lios na nE/an ""fort of the birds""||1835c||J O'D (OSNB) D24no43|
|~gort a'' ghabhann ""Field of the blacksmith""||1936||TNCT 27|
|Gort an nGamhna ""field of the calves""||1982||Mc Cann H.P. 1982 78|
|~Ard Tré ""Tré''s height""||1999||Dict. Ulst. PN 8|
- Dungannon Upper
- Parish in 1851
- Place name ID
- Place name type