Ireland is a country of many names. For such a small island it bears an incredibly wide and varied array of titles, from the Ould Sod to the Emerald Isle, the Land of Saints and Scholars to Inishfail, and from Hibernia to Scotia, to name but a few.
Yes! Believe it or not, Scotia is not only an ancient name for Scotland but was also used to refer to Ireland.
Table of Contents
An Island with Many Names
It also turns out the Celts were not the only ones to add their two cents worth when naming this island on the edge of Europe.
From the Greeks to the Romans people from far and wide have had their say when naming the island of Ireland or giving this little green Ireland a nickname.
And so today, let's explore the many names for Ireland.
The Irish Free State
Today, the country of my birth is officially known as Ireland.
When the state was created in 1922 and Ireland no longer was part of the United Kingdom, the name given to the twenty-six counties freed from English rule, was the Irish Free State.
The stamp pictured above is one from 1922 and it bears the title "Saorstát Éireann" (pronounced Sayre-staw-tch Air-ann) which in the Irish language means the Irish Free State.
For all the grammar buffs out there, Éireann is the genetive or possessive case of Éire.
Éire
In 1937 the Irish government adopted a new constitution claiming the whole island as its territory and the state's name officially became Ireland in the English language and Éire in the Irish language. You may not be surprised to learn that this name has roots in old Irish mythology.
Way back when, at the time when Ireland was ruled by faeries and druids, three sister goddesses ruled the roost around this little green island we all love. Each of these magical, mystical queens thought it would be wonderful to have the whole island named after her.
And of course, they couldn't negotiate who most deserved this amazing honor, so they turned to the Bard of Armagh to help them make the decision.
It was Éiriú who won the honor, but to keep the other two happy the wise old bard decided that Fola would refer to literary Ireland, and Banba would be associated with poetic Ireland.
But as we well know, it was their sister's name, that came to be the official name of the island.
Éirinn or Erin
Sometimes the name of our Celtic goddess is spelt Éirinn, which is well known from the popular saying:
Éirinn Go Brách
or
Erin Go Bragh
This quite literally means, Ireland forever, and is a very popular phrase used throughout Ireland and America, especially around St. Patrick's Day.
Erin is also one of the most popular names for Irish American girls.
Éirinn is originally a locative or dative form of the noun Éire, but it has been adopted as the normal name for Ireland in the Irish language by most native Irish speakers, although dictionaries still refer to the politically accepted form, Éire.
And so, either Éirinn or Éire is acceptable as the Irish language translation of Ireland, but Éireann is always the possessive case.
And there you have it - my explanation for the differences between Éire, Éirinn, and Éireann - clear as mud.
The Irish Republic
In 1949 the Irish state became a republic and the term Republic of Ireland was first adopted to refer to the 26 counties in the south.
In the 1937 constitution the state was renamed Ireland.
Northern Ireland was used to describe the six counties under British rule and still today, Northern Ireland refers to the counties of Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.
Southern Ireland was established by the British under the Government of Ireland Act, introduced on the 3rd of May 1921. It covered the 26 counties currently in the Republic of Ireland. It never truly functioned as a political entity because of the Irish War of Independence. In 1922 it was replaced by the Irish Free State.
However the term Southern Ireland is still used by many English people, who often ask Irish people if they are from Southern Ireland. This is a name Irish people never liked, and so I always advise people to avoid using it.
Greek Names for Ireland
Now as we know from Homer's Odyssey and the ancient cartographer Ptolemy, the Greeks loved to travel. When recounting tales of their journeys they came up with new names for the green island far away at the edge of their world.
The names Iournia, or Ivernia were coined by the Greeks and these are thought to have derived from descriptions of the island as a fertile country.
Iverni, is a term the Greeks used to name a people who lived in Ireland. Ptolemy used the term Iverni to name the people of south western Ireland, and the term came to apply to the good folks who called Munster home. The Ring of Kerry encompasses the Iveragh penisnula on the western coast of Munster.
Ierne is another form of Ivernia used by the Greeks. In Greek mythology the Argonauts traveled past the Island Iernis, and this is believed to refer to our beloved Ireland. This first known reference to the whole island of Ireland under the name Iernis dates back over 3000 years.
In Homer's Odyssey, Ogygia is an island home to the nymph Calypso, the daughter of the Titan Atlas or Atlantis. Now some believe the lost city of Atlantic lies off the Irish coast and that Ogygia may refer to Ireland.
In 1685 Roderick O'Flaherty wrote his book Ogygia: A Chronological Account of Irish Events, attributing Homer's Ogygia to the island of Ireland.
Roman or Latin Names For Ireland
Now if the Greeks were going to get in on the act of naming Ireland, then the Romans weren't going to be left behind. The Romans never conquered Ireland, but they were well aware of our existence.
The name they christened this little island, lying just outside their Empire, was Hibernia. The word hibernate derives from the same Latin origin, and means wintry. It is believed the Romans decided not to invade this damp, wet, and cold country. They didn't fancy dealing with winter chilblains.
Those who are poetically inclined have a very soft spot for the term Hibernia.
And there is a soccer team called Hibernia that still plays in the Scottish football league.
Other Latin names used for Ireland include Insula Nemorosa signifying a woody island, which in Irish or Gaelic is Fiodh-Inis (pronounced fee-uck in-ish). Ireland was a land of trees in the time of Saint Patrick.
Another Latin name describing Ireland's remoteness was Terra Finalia meaning final or remote country. This name in Irish is Críoch Fuinidh (pronounced cree-uck fwin-ig).
Muicinis
Muicinis was a name given to Ireland by the children of Míleadh who are said to have come from Spain and eventually settled in Ireland.
Before they finally arrived here for good, they ventured very close to the island along the coast of County Wexford. The Tuatha Dé Danann saw them coming and used their mystical powers to make the island invisible.
The Milesians looked at Ireland and saw a pig. The Gaelic or Irish word for pig is muc, and so the sons of Mil named Ireland, Muicinis (pronounced mick-in-ish), or the island of the pig.
Scotia
After settling in Ireland the Sons of Míleadh decided their new home was not a pig after all, and named their beloved island after their mother Scota. She was the daughter of Pharaoh Nectonibus, and she hailed from the Scottish race from Scythia.
The term Scots was applied to the people of Ireland right up until the Middle Ages, and their home was called Scotia. The Romans had to deal with Irish raiders when they ruled most of Europe and they called these Celtic nuisances Scotii. This name may derive from a Latin word meaning dark or misty.
Even Saint Patrick called the Irish 'Scoti' in the 5th century and it came to refer to all people of Gaelic origin including those living in modern day Scotland.
Around the 11th century the countries of Scotland and Ireland started to be differentiated, with our highland cousins being linked with the term Scotii more frequently than the Irish.
Inis Fáil
Inis Fáil is an old Celtic name for Ireland and is pronounced in-ish fawl. It is believed the Tuatha Dé Danann originally named Ireland so. It means Island of Destiny.
These magical settlers of Ireland brought a mystical stone to the island called the Lia Fáil (pronounced lee-ah fawl) or the Stone of Destiny. This pillar stood at Tara and when a king was to be chosen to rule over the people, the candidates touched the stone.
Under the touch of the rightful king it was said the stone would make a roaring sound.
Inis Ealga
Inis Ealga (pronounced inn-ish al-gah) is another Irish term and it means the noble or excellent island. This is translated into Latin as Insula Nobilis.
Other Latin writers in the first milennium referred to Ireland as Insula Sanctorum or the Island of Saints.
Others preferred the title Insula Doctorum or the Island of the Learned.
In modern times these two titles have been combined into the poetic description of this land as the Island of Saints and Scholars.
The Viking name for Ireland is not clear, but the Vikings did call the Irish Gaels Vestmenn or men of the west.
Mother Ireland
People refer to their country of origin as either the fatherland or motherland. Ireland is always female, and when returning back to Ireland, Irish Americans always say they are returning to the motherland.
Ireland's identification as a woman is personified in other female names for the island used by our ancestors. These include names such as My Dark Rosaleen or Roisin Dubh, Cathleen Ni Houlihan, Mother Eire and the Sean Bhean Bhocht (pronounced shan van vuckt) which means the poor old woman.
The Black Rose was a code name for Ireland back in the 16th Century, and as a result the rose is now a little known symbol of Ireland.
These female personas for Ireland create a romantic vision of the country. When Ireland was ruled by Britain this female representation became a hallmark of nationalism. Poor old Mother Ireland was desperately in need of protection and for her brave sons to rise up to intervene on her behalf.
William Butler Yeats wrote a one-act play with Lady Gregory called Cathleen Ní Houlihan, which was first performed in 1902.
Set at the time of the 1798 Rebellion, the heroine Cathleen Ní Houlihan represented an independent Ireland.
The Emerald Isle
The Emerald Isle is a tribute to the green fields of Ireland and their forty shades of green, made famous by Johnny Cash.
And the Ould Sod or Auld Sod is a reference to Ireland as a homeland, a country of origin.
Conclusion
And so, before we finish let's recap all the names for Ireland we reviewed in this post. Here's a quick reference list:
Ireland
The Irish Free State
Éire
Éirinn
Fola
Banba
The Irish Republic
Iournia, or Ivernia or Ierne or Iernia
Ogygia
Hibernia
Fiodh-Inis or Insula Nemorosa or Wooded Island
Críoch Fuinidh or Terra Finalia or Final Country
Muicinis
Scotia
Inis Fáil or Island of Destiny
Inish Ealga or Insula Nobilis or Nobel Island
Insula Sanctorum or the Island of Saints
Insula Doctorum or the Island of the Learned
Land of Saints and Scholars
Mother Ireland
Mother Éire
Cathleen Ní Houlihan:
Róisín Dubh
My Dark Rosaleen
The Black Rose
Sean Bhean Bhocht or Poor Old Woman
The Emerald Isle
The Ould Sod
Ireland consists of 32 counties and many of these counties have nicknames too. Mayo is known as the Heather County. Limerick is the Treaty County and Sligo is known as the land of heart's desire. You can explore these counties and more on my blog.
And if you know of any other name I omitted, please do let us know in the comments section.
Thanks for stopping by to delve into a little Irish history.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Here are some more recipes and ramblings you may enjoy ......
Penny Wolf
Holy Cow! That is quite a list of aliases. It tells me that Ireland has made, and continues to make, an impression on many. So much so that a name with further expression is required.
Thank you for such an eye opening piece. I do enjoy your blog!
Irish American Mom
Hi Penny - The list is amazingly long. I love how Ireland was knows as Terra Finalia at the time of the Romans. We truly were a remote island way off on the edge of the known world. Thanks so much for checking out my ramblings.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day.
Mairéad
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Terence M McDonough
What about "The Old Country" My mother & father used that a lot.
Terence M McDonough
Thank you. This was very interesting
Irish American Mom
Thanks for checking out my recipes and ramblings, Terence.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Irish American Mom
Hi Terence - 'The Old Country' is a great addition to our list. I'll need to add it to our list. Thanks so much for stopping by to check out this post.
All the best,
Mairéad
Patricia Waellner
I thought I have heard Ireland referred to as “The Misty Isle.”
Irish American Mom
Hi Patricia - I hadn't heard that one, but it's a perfect name for Ireland - a misty island on the edge of Europe.
All the best,
Mairéad
T.M. Johnson
Aha! I thought perhaps the IAM had misheard the groundhog and gone back into hibernation for six more weeks. I knew if anything could roust you out, IAM, 'twould be St. Patrick's Day. And a happy one to you! I've been reading a book by your Kentucky treasure Wendell Berry and thought of you and the state of "The Dark and Bloody Ground." Interesting post for sure. I much prefer "The Emerald Isle" over the others on your myriad list. So much more colorful than Shakespeare's "This Sceptered Isle" for England. Haven't heard the case term "genitive" since my days of high school Latin, btw.
On this St. Patrick's Day I am on swallow watch, our antecedent of spring, scanning the skies for their distinct dip and swoop. Oh, and listening to the High Kings while on patrol.
And the corned beef is poised for the pot. The turnips, carrots, onions, red potatoes, cabbage and "swedes" soon to tumble in after. May the love and luck of the Irish be with you today and always. TMJ
Irish American Mom
Hi TMJ - I've been like Mama Bear hibernating away for winter, waiting for Spring, to once again flex my writing muscles. Punxsutawny Phil warned me of bad weather and it took Saint Patrick to help me overcome my writer's block. Here's hoping I can get into a blog posting groove.
Just like you, my father always watched for swallows in spring. Our farm in County Cork hosts many swallows come spring time. I love to see them flitting about. And after Easter we would always listen out for the cuckoo.
Enjoy your corned beef today and those delicious veggies on the side. Thanks so much for stopping by.
All the best, and happy St. Patrick's Day.
Mairéad
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Jeff Ford
Mairéad,
Thank you for the wonderful and very informative history lesson! Although I knew of many of the aliases for Ireland, I have never seen them all on one list or at one time.
Slán,
Jeff
Irish American Mom
Hi Jeff - As I compiled this list I was surprised how many aliases there are for Ireland. I believe it is a sign that Ireland is dear to many a heart, that so many fond names exist for such a small island.
All the best,
Mairéad
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Joan
Thank You for all this information. God Bless.
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY
Joan
Irish American Mom
Have a lovely St. Parick's Day, Joan. Thanks for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
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Marion
Thank You for these Irish posts. I intend to print the information and study the information. Have a Blessed St. Patrick'a Day. God Bless you and yours.
Marion
Irish American Mom
Hi Marion - I'm happy to learn you find these posts about Irish history and heritage interesting. I too find history intriguing and it's lovely to know I'm not alone. I hope you enjoyed St. Patrick's Day.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
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Marilyn
What an interesting post. There is so much to read and learn. I do know a lot of the Irish history but not all that you have posted. Thank You. Blessings to you and your family.
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY
Marilyn
Irish American Mom
Hi Marilyn - Thanks for stopping by to check out this little roundup of all the names, nicknames and titles attributed to Ireland. I hope you had a lovely Saint Patrick's Day celebration.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Mary
I saved reading your post until I had time to really digest it fully and to savor every bite! I love Ireland and everything Irish! I’ve missed your posts and am glad to read your words once again! Have a bless day! Mary
Irish American Mom
Hi Mary - I hope you had a lovely Saint Patrick's Day. Thanks for your kind words and for taking time to read my ramblings about Ireland. It's lovely to know that you too love Ireland like I do. Many thanks for stopping by and I hope to get many more posts published in the coming weeks and months.
All the best,
Mairéad
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Cheryl Barker
Hi Mairéad! The name (other than Ireland) that I was most familiar with was of course The Emerald Isle. Very interesting to find out that Erin is the most popular Irish American girls' name. Now I know why one of my favorite TV shows -- which features an Irish American Family (the Reagans in Blue Bloods) -- has their female lead named Erin! 🙂
Irish American Mom
Hi Cheryl - Thanks so much for stopping by. Erin is primarily used in America as a girl's name rather than in Ireland, and it's nice to see it used as a name for a TV character. I haven't watched Blue Bloods but it sounds like a series I should check out.
All the best,
Mairéad
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Gene
Mairéad,
The Emerald Isle is what first comes to my mind. This from my first vision some years ago when we were approaching the coast at dawn. There were more than a dozen shades of green greeting us as we banked toward Shannon. That vision is still more vivid than any photo we would've thought to take.
Irish American Mom
Hi Gene - I too have peered in sheer awe at the beautiful green mosaic that spreads out before approaching aircraft at Shannon. It truly is a breathtaking sight, as is the approach to Dublin Airport from above the Irish Sea. It is only when you have lived away from Ireland that you truly come to appreciate how it is without any doubt, the Emerald Isle.
All the best,
Mairéad
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Factus Whacktus
Hi, late to this wee ‘e’ paper on names of Ireland. In such company pre internet facts are really handy. The oldest language found in the British Isles is “Brythonic'” NOT Gaelic. And most of the ‘e’ lore on the topic comes off of pages in Wiki, Googled ones, etc., a great deal of which is not reliable.
So today we haveremaining descendants of Bruthonic in Welsh, Cwmraig; Cornish, Brittanish – Brittany France – and Patagonia Argentina.
In their lore the old name of Ireland is ‘Gwirddn’; formed from ‘Gwir’ land and ‘ddn’ dedannan. It is fairly obvious to ethno research that this tribe came from mainland Europe, possibly along southern Mediterranean coast.
Too DNA research has PROVEN that the Irish today are a mix of different roots, the most prevalent being the same as the rest of western Britain, and the Gaelic/Spanish root but a minor part of it. I hope you enjoy the awakening of the De Dannan which did not run off in hidden places when the very few warring Gaels arrived, but simply intermixed and married into them.
Peace!
Irish American Mom
Thank you so much for adding such valuable information to our discussion about the names for Ireland. Dé Dannan (from the Welsh names for the island of Ireland) is a great addition to our list. I like how you highlight the fact that the Dé Dannan adapted and intermingled with the new arrivals, the Gaels, to Ireland. I'm very interested in the topic of Irish mythology and early Irish history, but have quite a bit more reading to do, to sort out who was who in early Irish chronicles.
My father was born in County Cork on the County Limericky border, in a place called Glenanaar, which is a lyrical name in English, but translates as the Valley of Slaughter in Irish. When I was young, my father always told a story about how there was a great battle in this beautiful valley, between the Fir Bolgs and the Tuath Dé Danann, and that the Fir Bolgs defeated their magical and powerful opponents. However, this battle my father told of was based on local Cork/Limerick folklore, and in today's writings the Tuath Dé Danann are said to have defeated the Fir Bolgs at two different battles in Connaught. Perhaps the battle in the Ballyhoura hills was a precursor to the final defeat of the Fir Bolgs, to whom the Tuath Dé Danann graciously gave the province of Connaught after defeat. I suppose this is a topic for another day, and a lot more research. There's a minefield of information to be found in some of our older publications, and in pre-internet resources that hold a wealth of hidden knowledge, just waiting to be rediscovered. Your knowledge of these pre-internet historical sources is wonderful. I truly appreciate your insights.
All the best, and thanks for stopping by.
Mairéad
Margaret Marie
So many beautiful names and meanings from history for Ireland! In Ontario Canada we have a town Innisfil and downtown Toronto is a wee village called Corktown where Irish immigrants settled. Then in eastern Canada we have the province of Nova Scotia! These are our Irish roots connecting and there is more...thankyou for these teachings! Blessings & Peace..
Irish American Mom
Hi Margaret Marie - I love hearing about all the places in North America that have been named by Irish immigrants. These places are testaments to our ancestors determination to survive and succeed. I'm so glad you enjoyed this blog post. Thanks for checking out my ramblings and for exploring our ancestral cultural inheritance here in our Irish American community.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Margaret Marie
I heard about this list and I think Old Sod abd Emerald Isle are my favorites! Being in Canada I remember my relatives referring to Ireland as "back hame" meaning back home in Ireland! Tks for sharing Mairead from Mairead in Canada!!☘☘☘☘☘☘🙋♀️
Irish American Mom
Hi Mairéad in Canada - I'm so glad you found this blog post interesting. It's amazing how people refer to Ireland as "back hame" even after being separated from Ireland by the ocean and even generations. I
Take care,
Mairéad
Bernadette
I'd never heard Muicinis before. Auld Sod, I always liked that!
My middle name is Erin.
I love Irish and Scottish mythology and would love to learn more. This was very interesting.
Irish American Mom
Hi Bernadette - Thanks for stopping by to read this little piece about the many names for Ireland. When I started compiling this list the vast number of names and the history behind them intrigued me. Thanks so much for following my recipes and ramblings.
All the best,
Mairéad
Sherri
Love the. history. and stories ! Sherri
Irish American Mom
Hi Sherri - Thanks for reading my ramblings. I'm so glad you find them informative and entertaining.
All the best,
Mairéad
John Hayes
A Mhairéad,
Conas atá tú? Thank you for sharing all of this lore with your readers. Please do not forget the other Milesian names Inis Fodla, Inis Banba. Thise ladies would be very offended should we omit them.
My family is out of the Clonakilty/Bandon area of Cork, our lands once were known as Acaidh Mileadh.
My great uncles O'Doherty and MacManman had an interesting way of strengthening mead into something like a brandy. They'd ferment in a large wooden tub, and freeze and referment in the mountain air until the yeast would take no more. Then filter, and into the crock! They also made large flat cakes like crepes with fermented barley flour and dashes of fresh malted wheat flour or buckwheat. They told me this was very ancient.
Sin e
Sean O'hAodha o i mBearl O'hEA.
Irish American Mom
A Sheáin - Táim an-mhaith ar fad. Tá áthas orm go bhfuil mo scéalta á léamh agat.
I will have to update this post to include the two Milesian names for Ireland you mentioned. We don't want to leave anyone out, especially those ancient ladies. Thanks for sharing your family stories from Ireland. How interesting to learn about how your great uncles created their own spirits. There are so many old traditions that need to be written down, recorded and preserved. Thanks so much for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
Evelyn
I'm an Irish-American and enjoy your blog so much, brings back a lot of memories. Just one thing I want to mention is the 6 counties of Northern Ireland are British, therefore Londonderry, not Derry, is the proper reference.
Irish American Mom
Hi Evelyn - I'm so glad you enjoy my blog. You have touched on a very controversial topic with the naming of this city in Northern Ireland. In Ireland and Northern Ireland how you name this city carries deep significance, and carries the weight of one's desire to once again see a united 32-county Ireland. The majority of citizens living in this city and county call their home Derry. Only Unionists, or the people of Northern Ireland who wish for the six counties to remain as part of the United Kingdom, call it Londonderry. The naming of the city is deeply rooted in history dating back to 1613, when London was placed before the Irish name for the city by Royal Charter. Gaelic Irish people have never called it by the name given it to by those who planted our homeland and took over this city. It will always be just Derry to me, no matter what name the British may choose to call this city.
Thanks for stopping by and thanks for reading my ramblings.
All the best,
Mairéad