Irish River Names - The Truth Revealed

Irish river names are usually proceeded by Avon, Anna, Owen, and Glen.  Just so you know a bit about the ditch you're paddling down, here's a quick filler-inner on what these names actually mean.

Most of these names are poor English translations of the original Irish names for the rivers.  Not that I'm a linguistics head or anything but as I understand it....

Avon:

The Irish for river is Abhainn (pronounced ahwin), similar to the Welsh Afon. It's been bastardised to Avon. The Avonbeg means small river - Beag meaning small in Irish. The Avonmore means big river - Mor is big in Irish.

Anna:

Anna is derived from the Irish word for "ford" - Atha (pronounced awha). Typically the ford would be "of the" something, e.g. ford of the cattle. In which case it was pronounced Atha na mBo (na mBo means of the cattle, Bo being the Irish for cow). This gives us the English - Annamoe!

Owen:

Owen is another version of Avon, e.g. Abhainn - the Irish for river.

Glen:

Glen means valley. In fact to Welsh and Scottish readers, Glen means Glen. "Glen" usually proceeds the word that describes the valley quesiton. Thus, as an example: Glendalough means the valley of two lakes ("da" meaning two and "lough" meaning lake). The main river in each valley inherits its name. The Glenmacnass river flows down the valley called Glenmacnass.

So now you know!