placenamesIslands
Na hOileáin
An 1837 account proposed a lock and dredging to connect the river’s upper and lower reaches.
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
- Na hOileáin · Irish · main form
- Islands · English · main form
Place & story
The obstacle at Clare’s crossing
Samuel Lewis described rock beneath the bridge at Clare, now Clarecastle, as an obstruction between the Upper and Lower Fergus. His 1837 account proposed a dam and lock at falls above the bridge, together with deepening sections of the riverbed. The scheme would have improved communication towards Ennis, upstream from the port. Lewis presented it as a proposal; the description does not establish that the lock or dredging was subsequently carried out. [2]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Islands. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Clare: A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837) · Samuel Lewis
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2026-09-19. How this page was prepared.