placenamesNewcastle
An Caisleán Nua
The countryside around Newcastle West combined dairy farms, crops and small mineral workings.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- An Caisleán Nua · Irish · main form · validated name
- Newcastle · English · main form
Place & story
Fields and upland pasture
In 1837 Samuel Lewis recorded 5,008 acres in Newcastle parish, including about 300 acres of mountain pasture used for young cattle. He described productive farmland growing wheat, oats and potatoes, alongside barley and clover. Dairy farms and cattle grazing occupied much of the land. His account concerns the parish surrounding Newcastle West, rather than simply its streets and market. [2]
Coal for the lime kilns
Lewis distinguished the limestone beneath the fertile ground from coal-bearing mountain land. He reported that two upper coal seams were worked and that the culm was used chiefly to burn lime. Turf brought from mountains to the west remained a preferred household fuel. Grit from the mountain was used for roads; ironstone and fire clay were noted but were not being exploited. [2]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Newcastle. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Newcastle, Limerick — A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837 · Samuel Lewis
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2025-01-10. How this page was prepared.