Kircubbin, County Down
Origin
perhaps Ir. Cill Ghobáin 'Gobán's church'
Background
On Ards Peninsula, 5km S of Greyabbey
par: Inishargy bar: Ards Upper
Although there is no mention of a church site in this area in ASCD, Reeves (EA 19 n. i) gives details of the remains of a small church which formerly stood in a place called The Chapel-field, which was about a furlong east of the village of Kircubbin. Reeves views this now-vanished church site as having been responsible for the village name of Kircubbin, and considers it to be the church named Ecclesia de Sancti Medumy (i.e. ‘the church of St Medumy’), which is recorded in the Ecclesiastical Taxation of 1306 beside the church of Inyscargi (= mod. Inishargy). Reeves was unable to identify this saint with certainty and more research will be required on his background before any definite pronouncement can be made. Historical forms such as Kilcubin (1615) suggest that the original name may have been Ir. Cill Ghobáin ''Gobán's church'' but that the initial element was scotticised kirk as happens elsewhere in Ulster (note the townland Kirkmoyle or Kilmoyle Upper in Co. Antrim). As regards the modern village of Kircubbin ASCD 417 notes that it was ‘a very small port established in 1790, with an export trade in kelp’.
References
Hughes A. J. (1992): Place-Names of Northern Ireland vol. 2 p. 91; revised PT, MÓMAdditional Information
Town, 1851 Census
Historical name form
Old Form | Ref. Date | Reference |
---|---|---|
Kilcubin, Capella de | 1615 | Terrier (O'Laverty) 328 |
Killcubin, Capella de [rectified from Killenbui] | 1615 | Terrier (Reeves) 59 |
Killcouby al. Kirkcubin cum decim in vil'' de Killc | 1662 | Inq. Ult. (Down) $23 Car. II |
Ceathramh Ghobbáin 'Gobban''s quarter'' | 1834c | J O'D (OSNB) E174 |
Cill Ghobáin | 1989 | GÉ 57 |
Cill Ghobáin perhaps | 1999 | Dict. Ulst. PN 91 |
Cill Ghobáin | 1999 | Cel. Ulst. Tds 20 |
(?)Cubynhillis | 1336 | CPR Ed. III 305 |
Ballecurbubben | 1604 | CPR Jas I 39a |
Ballicarcubbin | 1605 | Inq. Ult. (Down) $2 Jac. I |
Ballicarcubbine | 1605 | CPR Jas I 73a |
Killcooby | 1605 | Inq. Ult. (Down) $2 Jac. I |
(?)Kilcooly in the Great Ardes | 1606 | CPR Jas I 78a |
""Killcobin"" | 1622 | Ulster Visit. Reeves 55 |
Ballekircubin al. Kilcooby | 1623 | Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xlii |
Ballekircubin | 1623 | Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xxxiv |
Kilcoby al. Kircubin | 1623 | Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xxx |
Kilcooby al. Kircubin | 1623 | Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xlv |
Kilcooby | 1623 | Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xxxvi |
Rectorie of Kilcooby al. Kircubbin | 1623 | Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xxxiii |
Kirkubbin | 1640 | Sav. Ulst. 247 |
Ballekircubbin al. Kilcouby | 1645 | Inq. Ult. (Down) $104 Car. I |
Kilcouby al. Kircubin | 1645 | Inq. Ult. (Down) $104 Car. I |
Kirkcubbine | 1659c | Census 1659 92 |
Krikcubbin | 1661 | BSD 91 |
Kirkcubbin | 1663 | Sub. Roll Down 283 |
Kircubbin and Mill | 1681 | Ham. Copy Rental 108 |
Kirkcubbin | 1810 | Wm. Map (OSNB) No. 44 |
Kircubbin | 1830c | High Const. Applot. (OSNB) No. 44 |
Kirkcubbin | 1830c | Bnd. Sur. (OSNB) No. 44 |
Kirkcubbin | 1830c | Tythes Applot. (OSNB) No. 44 |
- Barony
- Ards Upper
- Parish
- Inishargy
- Parish in 1851
- Inishargy
- Townland
- None
- Place name ID
- 12091
- Place name type
- T:V