placenamesKilmacleague
Cill Mhic Liag
Lewis described a coastal hazard and a small place of refuge.
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
- Cill Mhic Liag · Irish · main form · validated name
- Kilmacleague · English · main form
Place & story
Brownstown Head and Rhinesbark
Two beacon towers stood on Brownstown Head by 1837, when Samuel Lewis described Kilmacleague parish. He explained their purpose as warning mariners who might mistake Tramore Bay for the entrance to Waterford harbour. His account placed Brownstown Head at the eastern side of the bay and identified Rhinesbark, at its north-eastern end, as a small harbour where vessels trapped in the bay could find shelter. These details record nineteenth-century coastal navigation rather than present-day sailing conditions. [2]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Kilmacleague. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Kilmacleague, 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.