Genitive Form: Cheann Loch Èireann

Language Notes

Element Meaning

G ceann ~ head/end; loch ~ loch; Èireann ~ a river name

Sources

Additional Information

Despite the ubiquitous use of the acute accent on the initial E, GOC 4H states: “Grave accent only should be used to indicate length… The (grave) accent should also be used to indicate length on capital letters”.

This name has been etymologised by Watson and others into ‘Ireland Loch’, although this is not perhaps the original meaning, at least not in this case. Possibly the original was something like Ceann Loch Éireann was the original, following the normal rule about names in Loch X. éireann was perhaps then reinterpreted as the genitive of Éire, Ireland.

Alternative Forms