Ballyshannon

Patrick Weston Joyce

1923

Ballyshannon: the old ford on the Erne is called by the annalists Ath-seanaigh and Bel-atha-seanaigh [Bella-shanny]; from the latter, the present name is derived, and it means the mouth of Seanach's or Shannagh's ford, a man's name in common use. The 'on' is a modern corruption; the peasantry call the town Ballyshanny, which is nearer the original. Ballyshannon in Kildare is similarly derived.

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