derrywilligan

In 1999, I was driving between Newry and Armagh (Northern Ireland) when I spotted a side road called DERRYWILLIGAN ROAD. I have tried to find out why the road was so-called, and below is the transcript of a letter received from the Place Names department of Queens University in Belfast.

(Derrywilligan, Co. Armagh - parish of Killeavy) our ref no 15201

Interpreting the source codes, it is Derriuolagin on the 1609 Eschented County Map and Derrimulligan in the 1659 census. These spellings prove the name ends with an Irish word beginning with "m", but levited to the sound "w" in the grammar of this name. The spelling Derrywilligan was established by the time of the first ordnance survey in the 1830s and is best explained - as they did - as Doire Ui Mhaolagain, O'Mulligan's oakwood. Locally, it seems O'Maolachain was also anglicised Mulligan, but the spellings all show "g" rather than "gh" (for Irish "ch"). A number of other place names appear to contain the same surname, notably, Eshywilligan towland in Fermanagh, but also Carrickawilkin in Armagh and Monawilkin in Fermanagh.

Your surname Willighan is said to have a different Irish language origin, from O'Huallachain, which also gives rise to Houlihan. However, in view of the levition of M to W in the place names above, and the suggested South Armagh pronunciation of Mulligan as "Woolahan", it may be that there is a connection. It looks as if people also thought there might be a connection with Wilkin, an English pet form of William.

Yours sincerely,

Kay Muhr (Dr)

ENCLOSED

Derrywilligan - Doire Ui Mhaolachain "Mulligan's Grove"

The first part of this name is clearly "doire" which originally meant "oak grove". It can also refer by extension to a grove of any type of tree. The second element seems to be a name, whether it is a surname is difficult to determine. The element "doire" in place-names quite early seems to have remained active until relatively late. However, whereas it ocurs frequently in the north of county Armagh, its occurrence gradually decrease southwards and there are few instances of the element in the south of the county.

The surname O'Maolagain was originally a Donegal one until the Ulster plantation in the 17th century when they were dispossessed, (McLysaght 1957 233) It is quite possible that some personage of this name gave his name to a wood in this townland and subsequently to the townland itself.