Townland A Townland is not a Town, but may include a Town. The term might be considered similar to a Township, and yet may only encompass a small few acres area of land. The Townland Index of Ireland is available in Book form and on the Internet. The Townland is a wonderfully focused identifyer, but be careful in jumping to conclusions. For instamce, Donnybrook (Dublin) could refer to both a Village, two Townlands (Donnybrook East and Donnybrook West), and a Parish (Donnybrook Parish also known as St.Mary's), each with different boudaries that changed over time. Now, in the present day, all of those identifiers are considered part of Greater Dublin. There are about Twenty Townlands in Donnybrook (Dublin) Parish, and an equal number of villages, and estates, covering a significant mapping area from the south Dublin canal to Blackrock near Dún Laoghaire (Kingstown). However there are several other places in Ireland also known as Donnybrook. There is a Townland called Donnybrook in County Claire, another in County Tipperary, as well as a subburb neighborhood called Donnybrook in the north of Cork city. In some cases, the same name may also be used simmply to indicate a stream, a bridge, a street-road, an estate, a mound, an old fort, or also in this case, a fairgrounds. Strategies for Discovery In the meanwhile feel free to contact us.

A Part Played by the Townland "An almost universal acquaintance with a traditional literature was a leading trait of the Irish down to the last century, when every barony and almost every townland still possessed its poet and reciter, and song, recitation, music, and oratory were the recognized amusements of nearly the whole population." -- Douglas Hyde