Click here for leapin’ place-names

As we approach the 29th of February in this leap year, many ladies might be leaping to their knees for that seldom-occurring chance to pop the question. For some, it may be a case of Lovestown in Co. Antrim, or Love’s Hill in Co. Derry. For others though, it might be a more sorry story like that behind Lovers Leap in the townland of Tonduff Mountain, Co. Antrim. Lovers’ Leap is commonly given to a locations of height, with the risk of a fatal fall (or deliberate jump). These places are often named following legends of romantic tragedy like another Lover’s Leap in Co. Clare where lovers leapt at what is now known as Diarmaid and Grainne’s Rock. Another place that owe their name to the same pair is Léim na Muice ‘leap of the pig’, named after the two spent haring around the cliffs from Ballybunion on a pig’s back, leaping over a chasm while fleeing the wrath of Fionn, to whom Grainne was betrothed.

We aren’t sure if such frivolities were involved in other leaping names in Ulster. We might be able to decipher the background of Salmon Leap in Co. Derry, The Horse Leap in Co. Antrim and perhaps even Maggy’s Leap in Co. Down and Todd’s Leap in Co. Tyrone. But surely there’s a story behind the Madman’s leap in the parish of Templecorran, Co. Antrim, and perhaps even a related story behind the mad Woman’s leap in Clogher, Co. Tyrone, but all we want to know is the Romeo & Juliet question….who leapt first?

Taking a language leap then into Irish, and the Irish word for leap is léim, another regular guest on the place-names show, where it is often associated with a crossing point for animals. This would usually be a narrow part of a river where they crossed by bounding from one bank to the other. In contemporary names, léim usually appears anglicised ‘Leam’ (like Leam, Leam Beg and Leam More in Co. Fermanagh). More often, we get to find out who was leaping, like in Lemnalary (Léim na Lárach ‘leap of the mare’) and Limmnaharry (Léim an Charria ‘the deer’s leap’) in Co. Antrim and Lemnagore (Leim na nGabhar ‘leap of the goats’) in Co. Armagh.

According to the Annals, Báetán mac Ninnedo, king of Cenél Conaill and of Tara, was slain by the southern Uí Néill in the year 586 at a place called Léim an Eich ‘the horse’s leap’, and some suggest this is Lemnagh in Co. Antrim, but others suggest Lemnaroy (Léim an Eich Rua ‘the red horse’s leap’) in Co. Derry, but we can’t really be sure which (of any) was the site of any leap of faith.

Not content with the original context under which léim appeared in a place-name, folk etymologies often emerged that featured a literal translation of léim, where usually an animal is described has having made some death-defying leap to save the day. Such is the case in Limavady (Léim an Mhadaidh ‘leap of the dog’). The name of the town said to have its origin in a legend about a dog belonging to a chieftain of the O’Kanes who leapt over a steep gorge of the river Roe carrying a message of danger to the O’Kane’s castle which formerly stood just south of the modern town of Limavady. Less clear is the explanation of Lisbanlemneigh (Lios Bán Léim an Eich ‘the white fort of the horse’s leap’) in Co. Tyrone, but he must have made some leap to have a fort named after him!

4-legged leapers aside, we have Limavallagan (Léim an Bhallacháin ‘leap of the Ballachán or freckled one’) in Co. Derry and Liminary (Léim an Airígh ‘leap of the watchman or sentry’) in Co. Antrimwhich might refer to a famous leap by a watchman or sentry, perhaps across the stream which forms its south-western boundary. However, as is too often the case, there is no surviving folklore to explain the origin of the name, but locals might tell you different.

And for those of you who expected something different from ‘leaping place-names’, we aren’t short of a few of those! The Irish word for dirty is salach, often appearing as -sallagh, like in the four Co. Down townlands named Ballysally (Baile Salach ‘dirty townland’). Although probably more fairly translated as ‘marshy, miry townland’, perhaps in an area prone to flooding. See also Bosallagh (Both Salach ‘dirty hut’) in Co. Fermanagh, and Cavansallagh (An Cabhán Salach ‘the dirty or marshy hollow’) in Co. Tyrone.

Those of you with less knowledge of Irish words for ‘leapin’ (i.e. ‘dirty’) might be more familiar with cac ‘excrement; ordure, droppings’. Although like Craic, Cac is not of Irish origin, but actually a borrowing Old English (via Latin cacare ‘defecate’). Etymological arguments aside, the ‘dirtiest’ place-name might well be Ballyhackamore (Baile an Chacamair ‘townland of the slob land or mud flat’). Now inland, its western boundary is the Connswater and it may have bordered on part of Belfast Lough before modern land-reclamation schemes.

Leapin’.