Moyvoon West

 

Townland of Moyvoon West highlighted in yellow

Anglicized from Irish: Maigh Un/Mhuin Thiar

Translates to: “The plain of Un west” or “The plain of weeds west”

Etymology:

Moyvoon is another example of description versus story. The official translation is ‘the plain of Un’ which refers to a chieftain of the Fir Bolg. The Fir Bolg were a race of people who inhabited ancient Ireland and appear in the mythology of the country as the people who ruled the island before the coming of the Tuatha De Danann (effectively the ancient Irish gods). The Fir Bolg were the first to divide up the country into provinces and their names seem to be attached to numerous locations throughout Ireland. Local examples include the twelve bens named after Beola who was a member of the Fir Bolg and Galway which was named after Gaillimhe daughter of Breasail a local chieftain who supposedly drowned in the river beside the modern day city. Unfortunately, we do not have any surviving information or stories about how the townland was connected to Un or indeed about Un himself.

Another possible translation could be Maigh Mhuin which is pronounced similarly and means plain of the weeds. This is a much more logical explanation based on a topographical description. While the Un story is very possible as beliefs in gods and the ancestors was deeply rooted in ancient Irish society it could have also been a later adoption after the original description.

Size: 60 acres, 1 rods, 3 perchs

Siting:

In the northern extremity of Kilcummin parish. Bounded on the north-east by Moyvoon East, on the south-east by Bealnalappa, on the south-west by Magherabeg and on the north-west by Gortrevagh.

Description:

Land very good stony in parts contains 60 and a quarter acres all arable except 2 acres of bog and marsh. The centre of the Galway and Oughterard road forms the north-eastern boundary of this townland.

Placenames within townland:

N/A

Previous proprietor/landlord:

Earl of Clanrickard (1641)

Earl of Clanrickard (1670)

James O’Hara of Leanaboy House (c. 1850)

Land Value (1857): £ 30 s.0 d. 0

Buildings Value (1857): £ 2 s.0 d. 0

Surnames attached to the townland (1857-1911):

O’Hara, O’Flaherty, Gill, Mannion, McDonagh, Molloy, Mangan