166 



called Terryglass, which has the same Irish form and meaning as the 

 other. Several other instances of names of this class, mentioned in 

 very ancient authorities, will be cited as I proceed. 



Though this peculiarity is not so common in personal as in local 

 names, yet the numbers of persons mentioned in Irish writings whose 

 names involve the number Two, are sufficiently large to be very remark- 

 able. The greater number of these names appear to me to be agnomina, 

 which described certain peculiarities of the individuals, and which 

 were imposed for the sake of distinction, after a fashion prevalent 

 among most nations before the institution of surnames. 



One of the three Collas who conquered Ulster in the fourth century 

 was called Colla-da-chrich, Colla of the two territories. Da-chrich 

 was a favourite soubriquet, and no doubt, in case of each individual, it 

 records the fact of his connexion, either by possession or residence, 

 with two countries or districts ; in case of Colla, it most probably 

 refers to two territories in Ireland and Scotland, in the latter of which 

 he lived some years in a state of banishment before his invasion of 

 Ulster. In the Martyrology of Donegal there are nine different 

 persons mentioned, called Ferdachrich, the man of the two territories. 



The word Dubh applied to a dark-visaged person is often followed 

 by da ; thus the Four Masters mention two persons named Dubh da- 

 bharc, the black (man) of the two ships; four named Dubhdachrich ; eight, 

 Dubhdabhoireann (of the two stony districts?) ; two, Dubhdainbher, 

 of the two estuaries ; one, Dubhdaingean, of the two daughters ; four, 

 Dubhdaleithe, of the two sides or parties ; and two, Dubhdathuatb, of 

 the two districts or cantreds. In the genealogy of Corcaluidhe we find 

 Dubhdamhagh, of the two plains ; and in the Martyrology of Donegal, 

 Dubhdalocha, of the two lakes. 



Fiacha Muilleathan, King of Munster in the third century, was 

 called Fear-da-liach, the man of the two sorrows, because his mother died 

 and his father was killed in the battle of Magh Mocroimhe on the day 

 of his birth. The father of Maine Mor, the ancestor of the Hy Many, 

 was Eochaidh, surnamed Fer-da-ghiall, the man of the two hostages. 



Many more names might be cited, if it were necessary, to extend this 

 list ; and while the number Two is so common, we meet with very few 

 names involving any other number. 



It is very natural that a place should be named from two prominent 

 objects forming part of it, or in connexion with it, and names of this kind 

 are occasionally met with in most countries. The fact that they occur 

 in Ireland would not be considered remarkable were it not for these two 

 circumstances — first, they are,beyond all comparison, more numerousthan 

 could be reasonably expected ; and, secondly, the word da is always 

 expressed, and forms part of the names. 



Great numbers of places are scattered here and there through the 

 country whose names express position between two physical features, 

 such as rivers, mountains, lakes, &c, those between two rivers being the 

 most numerous. Killederdaowen, in the parish of Duniry, Galway, is 

 called in Irish Coill-eder-da-abhainn, the wood between two rivers ; and 



