Irish · Gaeilge

Baile Átha Cliath

/ˈbˠalʲə ˈaːhə ˈclʲiə/

Anglicised as Dublin

Place-name meaning, origin and pronunciation

“town of the hurdled ford” — a settlement at a ford crossed by a causeway of hurdles.

Broken down

Baile

baile

↓

town, settlement

Common townland prefix across Ireland (anglicised “Bally-”).

Átha

áth (gen.)

↓

of the ford

A shallow river crossing; here on the Liffey.

Cliath

cliath

↓

of hurdles

Woven wooden hurdles laid to make the ford passable.

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