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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2000-09 > 0967827233


From: matthew harley <>
Subject: Re: Trouble Deciphering a Document (1798, Prob. N. Ireland)
Date: Fri, 01 Sep 2000 17:53:53 +0100


"James P. Robinson III" wrote:

> I know this is a little outside this group's purview, but I would like to
> tap some of the resources here, if I may. I have a document dated 1798,
> which is believed to originate from Northern Ireland. I *think* it is a
> Quaker removal certificate, but am not certain. However, the most pressing
> problem is the paleography (or is it orthography?). I cannot seem to
> decipher the placename appearing on the "Certificate". The first letter of
> the placename looks almost like an elongated 5. Any help would be
> appreciated. The document can be viewed at the following URL:
>
> http://home.ix.netcom.com/~jprobins

That's a tough one.

The end looks something like "moike" to me and could be from the Irish "muc" meaning
"pig". The genitive singular is "muice."

The first letter looks like a "T" to me. At a guess your word might be "Tignyemoike"
or "Tighyemoike", a phonetic spelling of the Irish "Teach na muice" or "the pig's
house."

I find a few examples at this excellent site: http://www.seanruad.com/ where a
search for "muc" throws up places like "Tinamuck." Now that would be the Irish
"Teach na muc" or "the pigs' house" (more than one pig) - and it's not in Northern
Ireland. There are lots of other "pig" places but none of them really clicks.

If I had found a place called "Tinamucky" in Northen Ireland I would have said
"Bingo", but there isn't one at this site.

You might have fun playing with phonetic variations. There is a "Teenaght" in County
Londonderry, for example, but no pigs!"

I don't know how comprehensive this site list is. Maybe there is/was a "Tinamucky"
in N.I. which does not show up here.

Matt Harley

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