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There are a two places in Ireland called Tonroe: a townland in Mayo and a village in Galway. Tonroe as Gaeilge is “An Tóin Rua” which translates literally to “red bottom”.
Of course, the bottom they’re referring to probably is the bottom of the land, but still. Red bottom.
The Paps of Anu are a pair of hills near Killarney, Co Kerry, which happen to resemble a pair of breasts. They’re named after Anu, who is believed to have been an ancient mother goddess.
On top of each hill is a cairn (passage tomb), which basically appear to be stone nipples on top of each mountain-breast.
Budadoon is a townland in the parish of Templecrone in Co Donegal, so small it doesn’t show up on Google Maps. Here it is on a list of townlands in Donegal, just in case you don’t believe us.
Devilsmother is one of the mountains in the Partry mountain range in Connemara. Though the name is bleak enough in English, in our native tongue it becomes something far dirtier.
The folks who translated it into English must have lost heart when they discovered “Magairlí an Deamhain” means “the demon’s testicles”, and called it Devilsmother instead.
Sunday 17 November, 2024
Sunday 17 November, 2024
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The dirty hidden meanings of these Irish place names may surprise you
SURE, WE’VE GOT Muff and Effin and Doodys Bottoms.
But there are a couple of Irish places that are hiding their crude meanings behind the English translations of their originally Irish names.
And those meanings are extremely, extremely crude.
The Irish translations are thanks to logainm.ie.
Tonroe (Red Bottom)
There are a two places in Ireland called Tonroe: a townland in Mayo and a village in Galway. Tonroe as Gaeilge is “An Tóin Rua” which translates literally to “red bottom”.
Of course, the bottom they’re referring to probably is the bottom of the land, but still. Red bottom.
Tonlegee (Bottom With Wind)
OK, so Tonlegee is already pretty funny in English.
There are Tonlegees all over the place – including Tonlegee Road in Dublin, Tonlegee Court in Athy, and the townland of Tonlegee in Roscommon.
Directly translated from Irish, Tonlegee becomes “Tóin le Ghaoth”, or “bottom with wind”. Windy bottom.
Paps of Anu (The Breasts of Anu)
The Paps of Anu are a pair of hills near Killarney, Co Kerry, which happen to resemble a pair of breasts. They’re named after Anu, who is believed to have been an ancient mother goddess.
On top of each hill is a cairn (passage tomb), which basically appear to be stone nipples on top of each mountain-breast.
Bod an Fhir Mhairbh (Dead Man’s Penis)
Bod an Fhir Mhairbh is a high point on Inis Tuascairt, the northernmost of the Blasket Islands in Co Kerry.
The island is also known as An Fhear Marbh (the dead man) because of how it looks from the east, as in the above picture.
The first hill from the left is Bod an Fhir Mhairbh, or “Dead Man’s Penis”. Can you see why?
Budadoon (Demon’s Penis)
Budadoon is a townland in the parish of Templecrone in Co Donegal, so small it doesn’t show up on Google Maps. Here it is on a list of townlands in Donegal, just in case you don’t believe us.
In Irish, Budadoon is “Bod an Deamhain”, meaning “the demon’s penis”. How lovely.
Devilsmother (Demon’s Testicles)
Devilsmother is one of the mountains in the Partry mountain range in Connemara. Though the name is bleak enough in English, in our native tongue it becomes something far dirtier.
The folks who translated it into English must have lost heart when they discovered “Magairlí an Deamhain” means “the demon’s testicles”, and called it Devilsmother instead.
Read: The 17 absolute rudest place names in Ireland>
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Connemara funny place names Galway irish place names Killarney Mayo place names red bottom Roscommon rude irish place names