[from Manx Place-names, 1925]

Parish of Kirk Conchan.

THE patronal saint of this parish was St. Christopher, but he was better known in Ireland under his Gaelic name Conchenn, meaning 'dog-head or wolf-head.' In the Greek Churches St. Christopher was usually depicted with the head of a dog or wolf, like an Egyptian divinity, but no satisfactory explanation of this peculiarity has yet been advanced. It had, most probably, a symbolical meaning. Under April 28th in the Calendar of Œngus we find the following reference to St. Christopher: Cyistifer. i. decim milia. cccc. iii. cum christifero [in l.. margin] i. conchend creitmech he et sub deeio pasus est. 'Christopher i.e. 10.403 with Christopher i.e. a pious dog-head [or wolf-head] was he and under Decius he suffered."

It is very remarkable that there are three cross-slabs in the church-yard of Conchan (now in the porch) on which are depicted dog-like monsters. No. 61, 'Below the cross a sunk panel contains figures of two dog-like monsters, the larger one apparently two-headed.' No.62, 'At the sides of the shaft are dog-headed monsters on their haunches, with open jaws, from which protrude long tongues looping round their fore-paws, which are raised to their chins with long fingers attached. Their bodies are broken up into spirals and their hind limbs unfinished.' No. 63, 'At the right of the shaft is the worn figure of a dog-headed monster which was balanced by a similar one on the other side.' (v. Kermode's Manx Crosses).

A fair was held in the parish until 1834, which, although latterly held on Holy Thursday - Jyrdain Frastal in Manx - must have been formerly held within the octave of St. Christopher's dedication date, April 28th. It is unfortunate that the parish church has been rededicated to St. Peter, instead of retaining its ancient patronal saint, Christopher. The parish still bears his Gaelic name, now in the mutilated form Onchan, although Conchan is still used in official documents. For substitution of Onchan for Conchan v. Kirk Arbory.

The parish of Kirk Conchan is by far the most populous parish in the Island, for the greater part of the town of Douglas lies within its borders. It also contains the growing and important village now cared Onchan, but formerly Kiondroghad, q.v. The parish stretches from Cairn Gerjoil and Groudle to the town of Douglas; and from the river Glass and the East Baldwin Valley to the sea. It is about five miles long and four miles broad ; bounded on the east and south by the sea, on the west by Kirk Braddan, and on the north by Kirk Lonan. The area of the parish is 7880.001 acres.

The abbot of Rushen held extensive lands in the parish, part of which is still known locally as the Abbeylands. The parish of Kirk Conchan contains eight treen names, only one of which is of Gaelic origin, the rest being Scandinavian.

Many old place-names in the parish must have disappeared during the last century, being replaced by English ones, most of which are of a self-explanatory type, and are not included in the present work. Some of these are obvious translations, as Highton for Ballanard.

KIRK CONCHAN

Abbeylands.

The Abbeylands of Conchan comprise the quarter-lands of Strenaby, Arderry (partly in Braddan), Balliar-gey, Ballamenagh, Ballacoyne, Sulby, Ballacreetch and Ballachrink.

Adderry. [].

1643 Man. Roll. Ardarry.
Mx. Ard eary, 'high shieling.' Ab. F.

Ballabrooie. [].

1643 Man. Rolls. Balnabroij.
Mx. broogh, 'brow, river bank'; i.e. 'the farm of the river banks.' The irish brughaidh, 'a hospitaller, or keeper of a house of public hospitality,' might be entertained in some Manx names ending in -brew or -brooie.

Ballacain. [].

1511 Man. Roll. Mac Cane (Treen of Slekby).
1703 11 Ballacayne. 'Cain, or MacCane's farm.,

Ballachrink [].

1643 Man. Roll. Ballacrunk.
1703 John Kewley of the Hill.
Mx. Balley yn chruink, 'farm of the hill.' Ab. F.

Ballacottier (and River) [] .

1511 Man. Roll. Mac Otter (in Braddan).
1643 ,, ,, John Cottier.
1703 ,, ,, ,, 'MacOtter, or Cottier's farm.'

Ballacoyne [].

1643 Man. Roll. Ballacawne.
1867 Wood Ballagawne.
1870 Ord. Sur. Map. Ballagadan.
Mx. Balley coan, 'farm of the hollow.' Ab. F.

Ballacreetch [].

1540 Lib. Mon. Edmund McCreche.
1579,, ,, Richard Crytche.
1643 Man. Roll. Ballacreetch.
Ir. MacRaois. 'Creetch's farm.' Ab. F. Ballacurry.
A common place-name. It usually means' miry farm.' In some cases the second element may be a personal name-Curry or Curghey.

Ballafargher.

1867 Wood.
'Fargher's farm.' Now Glenville.

Ballakaighen [].

1643 Man. Roll. Idem.
Ir. MacEachaiten. 'Kaighen's (1515, Mac Caghen) farm.' v. Lanjaghan.

Ballakermeen [].

1511 Man. Roll. John McUrmen.
1643 ,. Ballakermine.
1786 Dioc. Reg. Bally Curmeen.
'McUrmen, or Kermeen's farm.' This quarterland has now been mostly built over, and the only remnant of the name which survived, in Ballakermeen Road, has now disappeared; and the road is prosaically named after an English county ![?Buck's Road -actually after a person]

Ballakilmartin [balakilmartan].

1643 Man. Roll Kilvartin & Ballakilvartin.
1740 Dioc. Reg. Kil Vartyn.
Mx. Balley Keeill Vartyn. 'Farm of (St.) Martins' Church.' Ruins of ancient church.

Ballamenagh [balam£nax].

1643 Man. Roll. Ballameanaugh.
'Middle farm.' Ab. F.

Ballanahow.

'Farm of the howe or headland.'

Ball-anard [balonard].

1643 Man. Roll. Ballanird.
1735 Dioc. Reg. Bal nerd.
Balley yn ard, 'farm of the height,' or if old name Balley card, `high farm' (with neuter eclipsis).

Ballaquayle [].

1511 Man. Roll. Gibbon McFayle.
1643 Robert Quayle.,
Quayle or MacFayle's farm.' (Ir. MacPhdil)

Ballaskelly [balaskeli]

1511 Man. Roll. McScaly (Treen of Bibaloe).
1643 ,, ,, Ballaskelly.
' McScaly or Skelly's farm.' Ir. Mac Scalaighe.

Ballavinch.

Lost.
1613 Man. Roll. Henry Vinch. 'Finch or Vinch's farm.'

Balliargey [baljargi].

1643 Dioc. Reg. Balla largey.
Mx. Balley liargec, 'farm of the slope.' Ab. F.

Ballig [baljig].

1643 Man. Roll. Ballalugg.
1741 Dioc. Reg. Balluig.
1867 Wood Ballalig.
Mx. Balley ligg, 'farm of the hollow.'

Banks' Howe [].

1643 Man. Roll. Thomas Bankes.
1703 ,, ,, James Bankes.
This family owned the adjoining farm of Ballanahow, a name which is now lost. Banks was an English rendering of the Irish O'Bruachdin.

Begoade Treen, []

1511 Man. Roll. Begod.
1643 Begode.
Scand. By-goõi, 'priest's farm'; or By-goddi,'Goddi's farm.' By prefixed showing Gaelic influence. It may be noted that Keeill Vartyn, 'Martin's Church' was in this treen. v. Ballakilmartin.

Bemahague [].

1643 Man. Roll. Bemaughad, Bemaughagg.
This seems to be a Gall-Gaelic name of the same complexion as Bibaloe and Begoade, also in this parish; with by, 'farm,' prefixed instead of being suffixed according to Scand. usage. The second element is probably a Gaelic surname :'VacThaidhg, which is now represented by Keig in the Isle of Man. There were MacKegs in the parish of Kirk Lonan in 1511.

Bibaloe, Treen [].

1511 Man. Roll. Byballo.
1643 ,, „ Byballoe.
1693 Dioc. Reg. Bee: Bealow.
S. By-;-balavaõ, 'farm of the grassy bank ford.' By prefixed, showing Gaelic influence. Probably a ford at the bottom of the White Bridge Hill, near the present bridge.

Brither Clip Gut.

Gut is an Eng. borrowing and means 'a small creek.' Brither Clip is obscure, but possibly commemorates a ship wrecked there.

Cashey, The.

1757 Dioc. Reg.
A piece of intack on the Vicar's Glebe. v. Kessah in Kirk Santan.

Catherine's St. (Church).

This is the parish church of Kirk Conchan, now known better as Onchan Church. v. Parish of Kirk Conchan.

Clepps e Creer.

1643 Man. Roll. John Creer.
1703 Robert Creer. 'Creer's Clypse.'

Clypse (Mooar & Beg) [klips].

1643 Man. Roll. Clepps (beg).
1867 Wood. Cleypse.
'Big and little Clypse.' Probably a contraction of Scand. Kleppssta6r, 'Kleppr's farm.'

Coanrhenny [ko:onreni],

Mx. Coan rhennee, 'ferny ravine.'
On the upper reaches of the Groudle River.

Craig y ghenny [kreg a geni].

Mx. Creg y ghennee, 'sandy rock,'
Modern name. Formerly part of Ballachrink.

Creg ny baa [kreg no bæ:].

1705 Dioc. Reg. Cregnyba.
Mx. Creg ny baa, 'rock of the cow.' Farm name.

Cronk ny mona [].

'Hill of the turbary.'

Douglas, Treen [dnglas] .

c. 1250 Chron. Mann. Dufglas.
1511, 1703 Man. Roll. Douglas.
1630 Lib. Episc. Duglas.
1635 ,, ,, Duglasse.
Manx form Doolish. Gaelic form Dubhghlais. Ir. Dubhghlais, 'black stream.' The confluence of the rivers Doo and Glass is in the Double Groves.

Douglas Street Names etc

see under Douglas

Doway, Mill of.

1511 Man. Roll. Doway.
1666 Dioc. Reg. Dowey.
Ir. Dubh ath ; Mx. Doo aah, 'black ford.' The ancient name of the ford across the Doo, near where the bridge now stands at the Union Mills. This would be a much more appropriate name for the village than its present one. In 1666, Bishop Barrow gives a glebe to Kirk Braddan called the Dowey.

Ennemona [].

Mx. Anagh moaney, -turfy marsh.' v. Annacur in Kirk Braddan.

Garey ny chibbraugh.

1703 Man. Roll.
Garee ny chibbyragh, the river-shrubbery of the well.'

Garrey Crijgeen.

1794 .Manks Mercury.
'Cregeen's river-shrubbery.' Adjoining Ballacottier and high road on other side.

Glass [].

1648 Blundell Ye White Water.
Mr. J. J. Doyle, an authority on Irish place-names, suggests that the original name was Fionnghlas, 'white stream,' in opposition to Dubhghlas, 'black stream.' v. Douglas.

Glencrutchery [].

1643 Man. Roll. Glencruggerey.
1731 Waldron Lahn clegere.
1793 Manks Mercury Glonerudgera.
This is said to mean the harper's glen,' but this is doubtful. We find that the holder of the estate in 1511 was Cristalson, an Englished form of McCristal. McCristen and McCristory, which are also found, were other forms of the same name, and it is probably the latter form we find in this place-name, i.e. 'Cristory's glen.'

Glendhoo [].

1867 Wood Glendhoo.
Mx. Glion doo, 'black glen.' Formerly intack land. Now a small estate.

Glenville.

Modern. v. Ballafargller.

Glion Coon [].

'The narrow glen.' This is the name of a deep gorge or ravine within Groudle Glen, q.v.

Gobnageay [].

Mx. Gob ny geayee, the mouth, or beak of the wind.' The peculiar name of a farm on the slopes of Sheau Meavl.

Governor's Bridge.

Near Government House.

Groudle (and River) [graudal].

1511 Man. Roll. Crawdall.
1860 Kneale's Guide Growdale.
Scand. Krappdalr, 'narrow glen.' Part of this glen is called Glion coon, which has the same meaning in Manx.

Heywood's Bridge.

1869 Highway Accounts.
After Deemster Heywood. Now the Governor's Bridge.

Hillberry [hilberi].

1754 Dioc. Reg. Knock berrey.
1760 ,, ,, Knock y bury.
1870 Ord. Sur. Map. Cronkybury.
Scand. berg, 'a hill'; Gael. knock, modernized into croak, also meaning 'a hill,' and now translated so. In 1703 the holder is set down as 'John Kewley of the Hill.'

Hills, The.

This estate is now almost entirely built upon. It was a sub-division of Ballakermeen. v. Hills Street.

Honey Hill [].

1867 Wood Honey Hill. Modern English name of a small farm.

Horalett, Treen.

Lost.
1511 Man. Roll. Horaldre.
1643 Horalett.
Scand. HaraldshlM, 'Haraldr's slope.' This treen extends from Onchan Church to Hillberry.

Horaldre, Mill of.

1511 Man. Roll. v. Horalett.

Howstrake Treen, [].

1511 Man. Roll. Hawstrake.
Scand. Hbfubstraõkr, 'head or headland track.' The old road leading from Onchan Village to Groudle. v. Balnahowe.

Injaigyn [].

1867 Wood. Ingagin.
Mx. injeig (with plural), 'a corner.' In place-names it is usually applied to a piece of land within a river-fork, which is its meaning in this name. It is a diminutive of Gaelic inis, an island.'

Keppel [].

Scand. Kappafjall, 'champion or hero's mountain,' or 'Kappi's mountain.' This was probably the old Norse name of Slieau Ree and Slieau Meayl. There is a Capadal in Lewis which Prof. W. J. Watson interprets 'champion's dale.'

Kerroo Doo [].

1703 Man. Roll. Black Quarter. Ir. Ceathramha dubh, 'black quarterland.'

Kione Droghad [].

1643, 1703 Man. Roll. Keondroughad (Ken-).
1765 Par. Reg. Chiondroghad.
1819 Dioc. Reg. Kiondroghad.
1845 S.S.S. Reg. Deeds.

Kiondroghad, Village of.

This was the old Manx name of Conchan Village, meaning 'bridge end.'

Lagburrow [].

1870 Ord. Sur. Map. Lag Birragh.
The latter form is correct. Means' the sharp-pointed hollow,' i.e. having sharp pointed stones or rocks. (Below Hotel Majestic).

Lanjaghan [].

1643 Man. Roll. Lanshecan.
1761 Dioc. Reg. Lanjaughan.
1867 Wood Langahan.
Ir. Lann (cognate with English 'land') means 'a church or habitation.' It is probable that it has the latter meaning here: Lann Eachainn, 'Eachann's habitation.' There is a farm named Ballakaighen (q.v.) in the adjoining treen of Begoade.

Larkhill [lark hil].

Modern English name of a small farm.

Lough ny boa.

1814 Par. Reg. 'Lake of the cow.'

Magher y chaggee, []

'The field of the battle.' On Ballanard.
''Forty years ago this field contained a complete semi-circular entrenchment, but it has since then been almost entirely levelled."-A.W. Moore (Manx Names).

Mill of Crawdall.

1511 Man. Roll. v. Groudle.

Mony Cottier.

1643, 1703 Man. Roll. John Cottier.
„ ,, ,, Mony Cottier. 'Cottier's turbory.'

Mony Mainaugh.

1643 Man. Roll.
Mx. Moanee meanagh, 'middle turbary.'

Mony Mollaugh.

1643 Man. Roll.
Mx. Moanee mollagh, rough turbary.'

Mony Slegaby.

1634 Man. Roll. MonySlegaby.
1757 Dioc. Reg. Moanii.
Belonged to the Vicar's glebe. Adjoined Slegaby, 'Slegaby turbary.'

Mwyllin y Corran [].

1643 Man. Roll. Thos. Corran.
1703 Mollen e Corran. Corran's mill.,

Oates' Land.

Site of St. George's Church in deed of gift, 1761.

Onchan [onkan].

v. Introduction to Parish of Kirk Conchan.

Port Jack.

Modern. v. Purt Cooyn.

Purt Cooyn.

1860 Kneale's Guide.
Mx. Purt coon, 'narrow port ;' the old name of Port Jack, q.v.

Purt y vaatey [].

'Harbour of the boat.' Now filled in and occupied by the works of the Manx Electric Railway Company.

Skoryn, The.

Mx. skort, 'a cleft.' 'The clefts.'

Slegaby, Treen [].

1511 Man. Roll. Slekby.
1643 „ ,, Slegeby.
1742 Paroch. Visit. Sleagaby.
1757 Dioc. Reg. Slegabie.
Scand. Slakkabyr, 'slope farm.'

Slieau Meayl [] .

'Bare or bald mountain.'

Slieau Ree [].

According to the orthography, this means 'king's mountain.' Ruy, 'red ;' and reoaie-a mutated form of jreoaie, 'heather'-are often pronounced ree.

Strenaby [strenabi].

1741 Dioc. Reg. Streneby.
Scand. Strengjarbyr, 'narrow channel farm.' A small stream flows by this farm, (Mx. Names). Ab.F.

Sulby [].

1643 Man. Roll. Sulby.
Scand. S6labyr, 'S61i's farm.' Ab.F.

Tremmissary, Treen [],

1511 Man. Roll. Tremsare.
1703 ,, ,, Tremessary.
Scand. Thrumsgerbi, 'Thrumr's garth.'

Tremot, Mill of.

1511 Man. Roll. v. Tromode.

Tromode, Treen, [tramo:d'].

1511 Man. Roll. Tremott.
1736 Dioc. Reg. Tromaud.
1739 ,, ,, Tromoad.
Scand. Thrumsoddr, 'Thrumr's spot or place.' This treen adjoins Trernmissary.

White Bridge.

v. Bibaloe. Moore (Manx Names) says that this is a translation of the Mx. Droghad bane.

White Lady.

On Glencrutchery estate. The name of a monolith.