placenamesKilmacrehy
Cill Mhic Creiche
Lewis records coastal farming materials and improvements around Saint Brigid’s well near Birchfield.
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 Creiche · Irish · main form · non-validated name
- Kilmacrehy · English · main form
Place & story
Materials carried from the shore
Samuel Lewis described Kilmacrehy’s arable land as generally manured with seaweed and sand in 1837. Mountain pasture also formed a substantial part of the parish. His account records a practical connection between the Atlantic shore and farming inland, alongside the cliffs for which the district was already attracting visitors. [2]
A planted setting for the well
Near Birchfield, a holy well dedicated to Saint Brigid was surrounded by plantations and rustic seats at Cornelius O’Brien’s expense. Lewis also recorded a small lodge at its entrance and noted the well’s popularity with local people. These details describe the setting and use of the well in his time, without establishing the age of the devotion. [2]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Kilmacrehy. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Kilmacrehy: A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837) · Samuel Lewis
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2022-09-04. How this page was prepared.