Kilbrittain Parish and Townlands                          kilbrittain google map

- Cill Breatain – Church of Britan.  This is probably a personal name indicating British or Welsh origin.

Kilshinahan (530 acres)  Cill Sheanachain – Church of St Shanahan.  At the south west are church ruins and a site of a graveyard.  Here also is a mass rock.  At the west side is Sceardan – ravine or cascade.

Knockbrown (824 acres)  Cnoc a’Bhrunaigh – Brown’s hill.  At the east side is Clashavoon Cross roads – Clais a’Mhuin (hollow of the urine).  A story attaches to the name.  It might read Hollow of the weed or fungi.  Also at the east side was a forge.  On the east border is An Bothar Diomhaoin – Idle or unused road.

Baurleigh (885 acres)  Barr Liath – Grey hill top.  At the north side is Portanaddan – Port an Fheadain (ridge or bank of the streamlet).  At the south side is the Brab Uinne – Summit of the furze or gorse.

Maulmane (218 acres)  Meall Meadhon – Middle knoll or hillock.  Slate quarries were worked at the west side.  At the south side is Maulmane Bridge

Killanamaul (222 acres)  Cill na Meall – Church of the knolls.  In the centre is the site of an ancient church.  At the east end are traces of a ring fort.

Maulskinlahane (248 acres)  Meall na Sceinmneachan – Knoll of the active or alert persons, scouts.  It might read Meall Scime an Leacain – Misty knoll of the slope or hillside.  It is written Maulnaskiminahan in Pettys map.  Scimillihane is said to have been a nickname of a branch of the O’Mahonys.

Coolshinagh (180 acres)  Cul Sionnach – Recess or hill back of the foxes.

Ballymore (421 acres)  Baile Mor – Large Holding.  At the south side is Toberacapeen – Tobar a’Chaipin (well of the hood)

Ballybeg (259 acres)  Baile Beag – Small holding.  The area embracing the townlands of Ballymore and Ballybeg is usually termed Belly, Buelly is an older spelling

Baltinakin (336 acres)  Bailtin ‘ic Chuinn – MacQuinn’s little holding

Kilbrittain (515 acres)  Cill Breatain – Church of Britan.  Kilbrittain Castle was erected by the de Courceys in the 13^th century on the site of an earlier fortress of the O’Mahonys which was constructed about 1035.  It passed to the McCarthy Reaghs in 1510 and became their chief residence.  The McCarthys supported James II and following his defeat it was sold to the Hollow Sword Blade Company, an English company engaged in the manufacture of edged weapons for the Crown.  From them it was purchased by the Stawell family early in the 18^th century who rebuilt it.  Several members of this family were MPs for Kinsale.  On the marriage of an heiress of the family to St Leger Alcock they adopted the name of Alcock Stawell.  A younger brother of Silken Thomas at thirteen years of age found refuge here in 1535 with his aunt, Lady Eleanor Fitzgerald, wife of McCarthy Reagh.  The castle was bruned in 1920 but it has since been restored.  Ruins of the old parish church and graveyard are immediately outside the castle walls in what is termed the church field.  At the west side is the Dairy Road near which is an old building which served as a protestant church and school.  Further east near this road is a holy well at which rounds were performed.  Sub-divisions are Tounroe – Tamhan Ruadh (red patch of land) at west side and Clashavonnia – Clais a’Bhainne (milky vale) at east.