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Catherine Scuffil July 2007 |
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Picture this, in the distant south, a ring of mountains, taper to a sandy ridge of green gentle hills surrounding a curved glen. The corresponding countryside to the north varies from rough ground, to bog and shrubland, with nearby forests of sally willow trees and hazelwoods. Small fresh streams and rivers rise in this flat country, glinting in the sunlight and occasionally flood the surrounding land. The generally level landscape here, dotted with small hills and ancient forts contrasts with the mountains in the south. A clear water stream rises in the gentle hills and meanders through fields and meadows, gathering momentum on its journey to become a substantial fast flowing river breaking through a wooded valley. When joining a tributary, the river divides in two, to form an island and then weaves it way towards a deep black pool to join a larger river, increased by nearby tributaries, as it flows into the sea. Thundering bellowing waves crash the seashore, and welcome this river at its journey’s end. This, believe it or not, is how our fair city of Dublin appeared to the first settlers. I’ll prove it to you. The ring of mountains – those of the Dublin and Wicklow ranges. The Sandyridges, Droimneach or Drimnagh, The Curved Glen – Croimglinne or Crumlin, Cabra, translates into the Place of Rough Ground and the corner bog is Coolquay. The Shrubland, Sally trees, willow and hazelwoods are all mentioned in the placenames of Ballymun, Sillogue, Coultry and Kilsallaghan. The fresh or fair stream – Fionn Glas, Finglas also mentioned in Glasnevin – Nevin’s Stream. The River Tolka owes its name to the Irish word "tuillte" meaning floods. The gentle Greenhills between Walkinstown and Tallaght - the source of the River Poddle, this in turn is the ‘clear water’ – Caim Uisce of Kimmage. The wooded valley - the Coombe The island that later provided a site for a Church – St. Patrick’s Cathedral, known as ‘in insula’ or on the Island. The black pool - the original Dubh Linn - Dublin The larger river flowing to the sea, our own sweet Anna Livia. The thundering ‘bellowing’ waves on the shore – Cluain Tarbh, Clontarf– the Bull Meadow which in turn names the North and South Bull and Bull Island. |