Irish Baby Names - History and Origin
The meaning of baby names of irish origin lies hundreds of years
back in the Irish gaelic language of the ancient Celts who
migrated from Central Europe before the foundation of the Roman
Empire.
The Celts Dominant
Those Celts who came to Britain, France and Ireland were
dominant for a long period. With the spread of the Roman Empire,
the Celts gradually were pushed back into North Western France
(modern Brittany with its distinct Breton language), Western
Britain (Cornwall and Wales), Northern Britain (Isle of Man and
Scotland), and the island of Ireland which was never conquered
by the Romans.
As a result of Ireland's separate development from Roman
influence, the gaelic language and way of life was much less
diluted than in Scotland or Wales. Again the influence of the
Anglo-Normans and later the English was less in Ireland because
of the difficulty of establishing control in the country other
than a few coastal towns such as Dublin.
The English kings' governor sat in Dublin Castle issuing edicts
against native Irish habits in dress, custom and language, only
to have them ignored in about 80% of the country with the
exception of the areas around Dublin called The Pale where the
English army held sway.
Gradual English Control
This situation continued for hundreds of years until the English
asserted an uneasy control at the end of the 17th century with
the defeat of James 11 at the Battle of the Boyne by William of
Orange (the Dutch Protestant prince who was offered the English
throne by Parliament)in 1690.
So the first name origins of Irish Christian names and surnames
lie overwhelmingly in this gaelic Celtic culture which was
totally dominant until the end of the 19th century. Only at this
point do we see English culture making inroads in language,
games and of course in first name origins.
In fact, this was not voluntary as primary schools were
established in all the major towns from the 1830's onwards where
English was the only language of instruction and Irish gaelic
was forbidden.First name origins of Celtic descent gradually
declined and English baby names became popular for the first
time.
Irish Revival
By the end of the 19th century, Irish was in crisis and English
totally dominant in all the commercial, legal and cultural
spheres of Irish life. At this time organisations to stem the
English tide were established such as the Gaelic Athletic
Association(to foster the games of hurling and gaelic football),
and the Gaelic League to prevent the decline of the Irish
language.
This brings us up to the present where the meaning of baby names
of most first names in Ireland are English in origin or
anglicisations of native Irish names.This bilingual melange will
continue. It remains to be seen whether first name origins of
Irish gaelic ancestry will increase as they have been doing, or
whether the sea of Anglo-American influence will predominate.
(c) John Lynch