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Dunnaval
Village in County Down, Northern Ireland
Village in County Down, Northern Ireland
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| official_name | Dunnaval |
| irish_name | Dún Abhaill / Abhla |
| ‘fort of the apple tree’ | |
| static_image | Private Airstrip at Dunnaval - geograph.org.uk - 2295346.jpg |
| static_image_caption | Countryside at Dunnaval |
| population | 211 |
| population_ref | (2021 census) |
| unitary_northern_ireland | Newry, Mourne and Down |
| lieutenancy_northern_ireland | County Down |
| country | Northern Ireland |
| post_town | KILKEEL |
| postcode_area | BT |
| postcode_district | BT34 |
| dial_code | 028 |
| constituency_westminster | South Down |
| constituency_ni_assembly | South Down |
| coordinates | |
| irish_grid_reference | G289124 |
| hide_services | yes |
‘fort of the apple tree’
Dunnaval () is a small village and townland (of 273 acres) near Kilkeel in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is situated in the civil parish of Kilkeel and the historic barony of Mourne. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 147 people. It lies within the Newry and Mourne District Council area.
The pronunciation of the place name is important for understanding its origin. Locally, the stress is usually placed on the second syllable, which helps rule out some interpretations. For example, the suggestion that the name comes from Dún na bhFál ("fort of the enclosures") is unlikely, as this would require stress on the third syllable. Based on local pronunciation and historical spellings, the name is more likely derived from dún (meaning "fort") and abhall (meaning "apple tree"). It was known as Dunavill in the rent roll of 1688.
Townlands that border Dunnaval include:
- Ballyardel to the north
- Ballynahatten to the west
- Derryoge to the east
- Drummanmore to the west
Archeology
The Dunnaval earthen fort is an ancient fortification constructed atop a prominent esker (a long, winding ridge formed by glacial activity). The fort has been carved directly into the top of this esker, occupying a commanding position midway between Greencastle and Kilkeel. From this vantage point, it offers strategic views over the surrounding landscape. The earthworks of the fort are significantly older than the nearby Greencastle Castle, which lies approximately 2.8 miles to the northeast and dates to the medieval period. In contrast, the fort's origins likely trace back to the Iron Age, making it a time-worn relic of early settlement and defence in the region.
References
References
- "Population Data for Dunnaval / Ballyardle".
- link. (2012-03-31)
- "Dunnaval".
- "Place-Name Info". Northern Ireland Place-Name Project.
- O Mainnín, M.. (1993). "Place-names of Northern Ireland, Volume Three, County Down III: The Mournes". Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University Belfast.
- "Dunnaval in Kilkeel civil parish, Down".
- (1903). "OS Six-inch Ireland, 1829–1969 – Down, Sheet 57". National Library of Scotland.
- Joyce, P. W. (Patrick Weston). (1800). "The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places". Dublin: M.H. Gill; London: Whittaker, Simpkin, Marshall; Edinburgh: J. Menzies.
- Belfast Naturalists' Field Club. (1894). "Annual Reports and Proceedings of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club". Belfast Naturalists' Field Club.
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
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