Origins of the name Attymass

The townland of Kilgellia, located in the centre of the parish, is often known, confusingly, as Attymass though Attymass is now actually the name of the parish in which it stands.

There are several theories as to origin of the name Attymass, the most common being that it's from the Irish Ath Tighe ab Mheasaigh or The Ford of Massy’s House. Other suggestions include áit Tí Measaige, place of the Mass House and Atty's place of Mass after St Attracta, patroness of Achonry Diocese. A Holy Well dedicated to St Attracta lies opposite the school. The land about the well was once known as Aracht An Aifreann, Attracta's Mass, so perhaps there is something to this.¹ More about St Attracta.

John O’ Donovan in his Ordanance Letters of 1838²comments:

" We find it [Attymas] written Ath Tighe in Mheasaigh, which signifies, the Ford of the House of Meassach, in the Annals of the Four Masters at the year A.D. 1225, where it is said that:-

' O’Neill marched with a great army into Connaught, to assist the sons of Roderick O’Connor viz., Turloch and Hugh, at the request of Donn Oge Mag Oireachtaigh, Chief of Soil- Muireadhaigh. The son of Charles the Redhanded then went over to the English, who held their Court at Athlone. He was welcomed by them with great joy, and they entertained him for some time among them with much kindness. He then brought to his assistance, the Lord Chief Justice, and as many of the Chiefs of the English of Ireland as he thought sufficient. When the inhabitants of Maghaoi and of the Tuathas of Connaught had obtained intelligence of this muster, they fled into the Territory of Leyney with their cows and accourtrements, and left the sons of Roderick with only a few troops. The sons of Roderick O’Connor afterwards set out to Cill Ceallaigh and placed themselves behind their cattle. The sons of Roderick were at this time stationed near Loch-Mac-Fearadhach in Gleann-na-Mochart. Hugh, having consulted with his English, resolved to march through the Tuathas and plunder them. Accordingly, they passed on by a way through which it would never occur to the English to pass, ie., through Fiodh Gathlaigh, until they arrived at Ath-Tighe in Messaigh, and plundered Cuil-Cearnadha, after having destroyed its people, some of whom fled to Dubhcanga, and were nearly all drowned.'

As the exact locality of Ath Tighe in Mheasaigh cannot be ascertained from any local information, for the only local knowledge of it is, as the name of a Parish, it is necessary if it occurs in the course of making Irish extracts, to take down what is said of it. The passage from the Annals just given is not definite enough."

Patrick Flannelly³ in his handwritten manuscript from the 1930's perhaps supplies the clearest explanation:

"The old roadway led by the graveyard [in Bonnifinglas] to a ford on the river [Moy] and from this ford Attymass derives its name, At Tize Measaiz – The Ford of the House of Massey. For years there have been various derivations put forward for Attymass but all have been confused by the fact that Attymass Church now stands in the townland of Kilgellia, three miles from the original site and could not have derived its name from its present surroundings. The House of Massey probably stood near the ford, or the large fort near by may have been the site."

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Sources:

¹ History of Attymass, Bridie Padden. 2000

²Ordinance Letters 1838 Vol. 1 John O’ Donovan: Attymass. Transcript in the historical documents archive.

³ From a manuscript in the Attymass Parish Inventory hand written by Patrick Flannelly NT. Full transcription in the Historical Documents Archive.