Non-ugly Irish girls' names

I'm not mad about ordinary kimberley biscuits, but CHOCOLATE kimberleys.....mmmmmmmmm!

I went to school with an Ignatius and a Pius (ok boys names I know). How could you inflict names like that on a child?

Someone mentioned further up Kimberley biscuits - they are all i'm craving this pregnancy and i can't get them here!!

And it wasn't until my cousin pointed it out that i realised i'd named my son after a well known brand of batch loaf...

I remember the emerald heart falling out of my cladagh ring (was a present from my auntie-emerald my birthstone) in the middle of mass. I couldn't find it anywhere and spent the entire hour praying to St Anthony.

Didn't work and my ma could have killed me!

My confirmation name is the relatively mild Theresa. My best friend at school's was Magdalena!

LOL at tripping on her face cloth!

Oh the Irish Catholic childhood! And the names.

Catni - lol at Antoinette - another name I don't think i have ever heard outside Ireland. Obv for St Anthony. Another of my Mum's faves to pray to. Esp if you lose something. Believe it or not I once lost a diamond earring at my mums. Took them off in bed and could only find one next morning. Looked all over. Shook out bedclothes. Looked on floor. Nothing. My mum says a prayer to St Anthony and I went back into room for something and there was earring in middle of floor! I kid you not. He should be cannonized. Oh - he was!

Funnily enough she didn't pray to St Anthony when she realised I had lost my virginity! It was St Jude all the way then!

Veronica was a very popular name in my Mother's generation....wasn't she the woman who wiped Jesus face when he was carrying the cross? I never heard of her being a fallen woman (unless she tripped on her face cloth!)

Majella is a truly terrible name - goes to show how fashions thankfully change - though it's good to understand where Irish parents were getting this terrible name from (I used to wonder if it had anything to do with Majellan ). In fairness though, all the Majellas I've ever met have been lovely...

Buda lol at Jacinta as a confirmation name although my own is far more hideous - Antoinette - I wanted Veronica but was told "she was a fallen woman in the New Testament" and wasn't allowed . My sister wanted Madonna but had to settle for Louise (Madonna Louise Ciccone). My best friend at the time wanted to take Dawn but wasn't allowed (pagan). Funny remembering it now! And Buda I'm pregnant with my first and am actually looking forward when h/she is old enough to sample the delights of chipstix (although rancheros were my own true love!).

Oh my god Majella is my most hated Irish name!
Me and my cousins call each other Majella as a joke!

Apparently it was the surname of a Saint Gerard Majella hence the popularity with Irish catholics. He must be really popular around Derry

I think all the Majellas were named after St. Gerard Majella,the patron saint of expectant mothers www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=150. I know 3 all around my age (forty something). Thankfully it seems to be a fashion that died out in my generation!

Is this a good time to confess I took Jacinta as my confirmation name????

My Mum wanted me to take Therese and I was being rebellious as she didn't like Jacinta. I now understand why. In my defence when I was really little I had a babysitter called Jacinta and she was gorgeous so it was that association I was after!

There are some bad Irish names all right! Is Phyillis Irish? When I was growing up my best friend's Mum was Gertie and she had sisters Phyllis and Carmel.

Gobhait always reminds me of the Frank Kelly 12 Days of Christmas song. SO funny.

I had forgotten Majella.

I know an English Jude here. My Mum used to wish me luck in exams by saying "Now just do your best, that is all you can do and I'll say a prayer to St Jude for you". Every time.

Caitni - send me your Barry's Tea! I used to live in West Hampstead (well more Cricklewood really!) and would regulary wander up to Cricklewood to stock up on Irish 'delicacies'! Am off home on Sunday and will be doing a large food shop - Barry's tea for me, Tayto crisps and sausages and black and white pudding for DH, Chipstix for DS. And anything else I can fit in my case.

I had an actual great aunt called Concepta and another called Mercy-Madonna. Yes, Mercy-Madonna, you did read that right.

Majella was very in vogue when I was a youngster. And Carmel.

Dymphna is my worst Irish girl's name ever.

I had a friend called Deborah at school. They insisted on calling her Gobnait at Irish college.
I knew a Jacinta as well. She had a sister called Jude... the patron saint of hopeless cases. Never quite got to the bottom of that.

Sibéal - sorry i am really not sure how to pronounce this one?
it looks pretty....

Gobnait - noooooo! I knew a gobnait at Irish college, the poor soul. Not unusual in West Cork (home to Gobnait's well in Ballyvourney) but not a name I like...

Wats Barrys tea - yes. Superquinn sausages - no. I feel bad, because Barrys tea is the gift of choice for my family when visiting so I don't want them to know how easy it is for me to get

Saoirse is amazingly popular in West Belfast, according to dh's cousin who lives there in the Irish speaking enclave! I liked Emer until I found out that my neice who was at primary school had 3 Emers in her class. DD1 is currently at Irish College, and is being called Grainne, the Irish version of her middle name as her first name doesn't translate. Otherwise she would, allegedly, be known by the name Gobnait (I suspect this doesn't happen). But isn't that a great name?

Also liking the Sibeal love.

Maggie PSML at your description of Saoirses

Have now read the whole thread and most of the Irish names I like have been mentioned. I also have the Grainne/Granna connection (although Grace is a family name in my husband's family so it's on our long list).

Was also PSML laughing at the Attracta/Concepta suggestions - Donttry you rebel you! I associate these with Cork City (where I'm from) and knew a Concepta (shortened to Cepta [shudder]), an Immaculata (they were cousins [double shudder]), Jacinta and an Abina (shortened to Bina [bye-na] [triple shudder]) at school. Thought they were horrible names then and think they're even more horrible now!

And yes, Erin will always mean ox-tail soup to me (I can even get Erin soups in one of our local shops in North London! And kimberley mikados...and Ballymaloe relish...happy days ).

Sibéal is lovely.

Caitni, I agree with your take on Saoirse. Ever Saoirse I've ever met has been oh wrap the green flag round me boys.