Medicine was very much a hereditary profession in Gaelic Ireland, running in a number of well-known families. In Gaelic Ireland members of the medical profession were highly mobile and often had to travel in pursuit of employment, a situation not without its parallels today.
Cork, as well as Ballydeenlea logainm. Mayo logainm. Ballysheil in Co. Down, along with Ballysheil Beg and Ballysheil More placenamesni. Ballysheil More in Co. Offaly family that migrated northwards. Farrancassidy in Co. Waterford and Ballycasheen logainm.
Wexford , p. Wexford , pp. Whelan, Gaelic County Wexford a story never told , forthcoming. Wexford, and it is not inconceivable that it originally referred to the medical family of that name.
Wexford see C. Offaly, Ballylion logainm. Roscommon and the likewise-named Ballylion in Co. Wicklow logainm. Tawnalion in Co. Limerick, and also in the original Irish name of Farthingville in Co. Clare Depositions : MS , fols rv. Kilkenny, and most likely also Troystown , a defunct townland name near Navan in Co.
Meath see historical records under Baile Ghib , logainm. Wexford in a source dating from Their surname occurs in a least three defunct townland names in Co. Whelan, op. At the other end of the country, the townland name Killycanavan placenamesni. Killycanavan Lower in Co. These placenames tell the story of the inward migration of hereditary medical practitioners, the more successful of whom appear to have been rewarded with a grant of title as a kind of retainer for their services in the area.
