Loughlynch

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Loughlynch
TOWNLAND
County Antrim

Old farm buildings in Loughlynch
Location
Location: 55°10’0"N, 6°26’33"W
Grid reference: C993366
Data

Loughlynch or Lough Lynch is a rural townland in County Antrim, in the north of the county about three and a half miles south-east of Bushmills. This was once the site of a lake, hence its name, but this has long since disappeared.[1] John O'Donovan reckoned the name to come from the Irish Loch Leith-inse, meaning "Lough of the half island (peninsula)".[2]

History

According to tradition, Coll MacGillaspick, known as Col Ciotach, was born here in 1570, on 'Glasineerin Island' on Lough Lynch. Coll was the posthumously born son of Gillaspick MacDonnell, a nephew of Sorley Boy MacDonnell who died fighting a bull at his own coming of age party. Coll became a notorious mercenary captain amongst the Hebrides (the ancestral islands of his clan) and conquered his way to the Lairdship of Colonsay.

References

  1. Joyce, Patrick Weston: The origin of and history of Irish names of places (Longmans, Green & Co. , 1910) page 443
  2. Loughlynch - Placenames NI