Decoding Irish Townlands & Maps at Ennis Library, County Clare

Unlock the secrets of Irish townlands, medieval kingdoms, and ancestral records at the Ennis Library in County Clare, Ireland, with The Celtic Way Tours! 🇮🇪📜 In this presentation recorded at the Clare Local Studies Centre in Ennis, County Clare, archivist and librarian Michael Talty explores the groundbreaking 19th-century 6-inch Ordnance Survey maps of Ireland including the 74 historic sheets produced for County Clare. Michael reveals how these modern maps were grafted onto ancient Gaelic structures dating back to the Kingdom of Thomond (North Munster) and medieval trícha cét territories. For anyone tracing ancestors who emigrated to Australia, the United States, or beyond, he explains the critical geographic hierarchy from small townlands and church parishes to baronies—and why native Irish speakers arriving in English-speaking ports resulted in dramatic spelling variations across family surnames! 🔎 Discover The Celtic Way Tour: https://www.thecelticway.com.au 📧 Contact us: info@thecelticway.com.au Facebook: The Celtic Way Instagram: @thecelticwaytours #EnnisLibrary #CountyClare #Ennis #IrishGenealogy #Thomond #TheCelticWayTours #IrishTownlands #TracingFamilyRoots