12th February, 1018. 



THE FOLK-LORE OF NORTH OF IRELAND 



PLACE NAMES. 



By Sir John Byers, M.A., M.D. 



{Abstract.) 



After pointing out the importance of the study of place- 

 names, not merely as to their origin, but also in regard to the 

 curious sayings, homely proverbs, and rustic rhymes associated 

 with them, Sir John Byers said certain broad principles might 

 be laid down to form a guide in their investigation : — 



BHrst — Many place-names are not only very ancient, but also 

 remarkably permanent. 



/S'econd— Place-names, in their origin, are, as a rule, simple, 

 and show sympathy with nature. 



Third — Place names are often primarily most utilitarian, 

 except in the case of religion and superstition. 



Fourth — In the history of almost all counti-ies, and especially 

 so in the case of the northern parts of Ireland, various bodies of 

 people — colonists and conquerors — came at different times, each 

 speaking a mother-tongue of their own. Now, not only did these 

 invaders bring place-names peculiar to themselves, but they 

 also adopted and often altered others already existing. 



Fifth — Place-names are, in many cases, compounds made up 

 of a substantive or generic term, and a correlative, indicating 

 some attributive quality. In pronunciation, the stress or 

 emphasis almost invariably remains on the qualitative syllable, 

 and this, in English place-names, usually precedes the other, 

 while, on the contrary, in Celtic words, the qualitative usually 

 follows the substantive. 



Sir John Byers illustrated each of these principles by 

 numerous examples, and gave a selection of proverbs, sayings, 

 and rhymes associated with a large number of North of Ireland 

 place-names. 



