trous
transmographying of Gaelic names into English. The Gillespies
(Giolla-Easbuig, _i.e._, Bishop's servant) are Archbolds or Bishops. The
Mackays (Mac Aodha, _i.e._, son of Ae or Hugh) are Hughes. The Mac Reevys
or Mac Culreevys (Mac Cuil-Riabhaigh, _i.e._, son of the grey poll) are
Grays. The Mac Eochagains instead of being all Gahagans or Geoghegans
have--some of them--deformed their name into the monstrosity of Goggin.
The Mac Feeachrys (Mac Fhiachraidh) are Vickors or even Hunters. The Mac
Feehalys are often Fieldings. Mac Gilleesa (Mac Giolla Iosa, _i.e._, sons
of Jesus' devotee) are either Gillespie or Giles. The Mac Gillamurrys (Mac
Giolla-Mhuire, _i.e._, son of the Virgin's devotee) is often made Marmion,
sometimes more correctly Macilmurray or Mac Ilmurry. Mac Gillamerry (Mac
Giolla Meidhre, _i.e._, son of the servant of merriment) is Anglicised
Merryman. Mac Gillaree (Mac Giolla-righ, _i.e._, son of the king's
servant) is very often made King, but sometimes pretty correctly Mac
Gilroy or Mac Ilroy--thus the Connemara people have made Kingston of the
village of Ballyconry, because the _ry_ or _righ_ means a king. The Mac
Irs, sons of Ir, earliest coloniser of Ireland, have, by some confusion
with _geirr_, the genitive of _gearr_, "short," become Shorts or
Shortalls, but sometimes, less corruptly, Kerrs. The honourable name of
Mac Rannell (Mac Raghnaill) is now seldom met with in any other form than
that of Reynolds. The Mac Sorarans (Mac Samhradhain, the clan or tribe
name of the Mac Gaurans or Mac Governs) have become Somers, through some
fancied etymology with the word _samhradh_. The Mac Sorleys (Mac
Samharlaigh) are often Shirleys. The honourable and poetic race of
Mac-an-bhairds (sons of the bard) are now Wards to a man. The
Mac-intleevys (Mac an tsleibhe, _i.e._, sons of the mountain) are Levys or
Dunlevys. The Macintaggarts (Mac an tsagairt, _i.e._, son of the priest)
are now Priestmans, or occasionally, I do not know why, Segraves. The
Macgintys (Mac an tsaoi, _i.e._, son of the sage) are very often Nobles.
The Macinteers (Mac an tsaoir, _i.e._, son of the carpenter) instead of
being made MacIntyre as the Scots always have it, are in Ireland
Carpenters or Wrights, or--because _saor_ means "free" as well as
Carpenter--Frees and Freemans. Many of the O'Hagans (O h-Aodhgain) are now
Fagans, and even Dickens's Fagan the Jew has not put a stop to the hideous
transformation. The O'Hillans (Mac Ui Iollain, _i