“Some Irish placenames no longer found on the city streets .. .include..near the present Collins Barracks, Glancatane, this name There is an old map on the wall of Henchy’s at St. Luke’s Cross which does indicate a townland of Clankitane. A similar, if not the same map can be viewed on OSI website with Clankittane south of Collins Barracks. Some other items of interest on that map include what is now Murphy’s Brewery(or Heineken if you prefer), was a foundling hospital; and, the fever hospital is evident. In a later map, the area is built up and is called Barrackton. Interesting to note in this map that Military Hill church was Methodist; that the former St. Luke’s Home and current Ambassador Hotel, was a Home for Incurables; that Dillon’s Cross had not yet been named as it is Barracks Cross Roads; and that Harrington Square was then Harrington Avenue. |
In The Story of Cork (1971), when discussing the Old Youghal Road area by Collins Barracks, Sean Beecher states that it “was here that the first soccer team in the city was formed – Barrackton”.
Growing up, I would have known the area as the top of Military Hill or ‘up by the Barracks’. Neither Barrackton nor Clankitane registered with me.
The ESB electrical cabinet unit does preserve the name of Clankitane and the Post office does refer to Gleann Ciotáin. My Irish speaking friends tell me that Ciotáin and Ciotóg mean the same – a left handed person; or an awkward person.