| The meaning of baby names of irish | | | | Boyne by William of Orange (the Dutch |
| origin lies | | | | Protestant prince who |
| hundreds of years back in the Irish | | | | was offered the English throne by |
| gaelic language | | | | Parliament)in 1690.So the first name |
| of the ancient Celts who migrated from | | | | origins of Irish Christian names and |
| Central Europe | | | | surnames lie overwhelmingly in this |
| before the foundation of the Roman | | | | gaelic Celtic culture |
| Empire.The Celts DominantThose Celts who | | | | which was totally dominant until the |
| came to Britain, France and Ireland | | | | end of the 19th century. |
| were dominant for a long period. With | | | | Only at this point do we see English |
| the spread of | | | | culture making inroads |
| the Roman Empire, the Celts gradually | | | | in language, games and of course in |
| were pushed back | | | | first name origins.In fact, this was not |
| into North Western France (modern | | | | voluntary as primary schools were |
| Brittany with its | | | | established in all the major towns from |
| distinct Breton language), Western | | | | the 1830's onwards |
| Britain (Cornwall | | | | where English was the only language of |
| and Wales), Northern Britain (Isle of | | | | instruction and Irish |
| Man and Scotland), | | | | gaelic was forbidden.First name origins |
| and the island of Ireland which was | | | | of Celtic descent |
| never conquered by | | | | gradually declined and English baby |
| the Romans.As a result of Ireland's | | | | names became popular for |
| separate development from Roman | | | | the first time.Irish RevivalBy the end |
| influence, the gaelic language and way | | | | of the 19th century, Irish was in crisis |
| of life was much | | | | and |
| less diluted than in Scotland or Wales. | | | | English totally dominant in all the |
| Again the influence | | | | commercial, legal and |
| of the Anglo-Normans and later the | | | | cultural spheres of Irish life. At this |
| English was less in | | | | time organisations |
| Ireland because of the difficulty of | | | | to stem the English tide were |
| establishing control | | | | established such as the Gaelic |
| in the country other than a few coastal | | | | Athletic Association(to foster the |
| towns such as | | | | games of hurling and |
| Dublin.The English kings' governor sat | | | | gaelic football), and the Gaelic League |
| in Dublin Castle issuing | | | | to prevent the |
| edicts against native Irish habits in | | | | decline of the Irish language.This |
| dress, custom and | | | | brings us up to the present where the |
| language, only to have them ignored in | | | | meaning of baby |
| about 80% of the | | | | names of most first names in Ireland |
| country with the exception of the areas | | | | are English in origin or |
| around Dublin | | | | anglicisations of native Irish |
| called The Pale where the English army | | | | names.This bilingual melange |
| held sway.Gradual English ControlThis | | | | will continue. It remains to be seen |
| situation continued for hundreds of | | | | whether first name origins |
| years until the | | | | of Irish gaelic ancestry will increase |
| English asserted an uneasy control at | | | | as they have been doing, |
| the end of the 17th | | | | or whether the sea of Anglo-American |
| century with the defeat of James 11 at | | | | influence will predominate. |
| the Battle of the | | | | |