Tá gob gainimh ag síneadh isteach sa chuan i nDún Garbhán agus an t-ainm coitianta atá ar an áit ná an Coinigéar. The sandspit that stretches into Dungarvan Bay is known locally as the Cunnigar.
An Coinigéar
Sampla de Ghaelú déanta ar fhocal ón sean-Bhéarla atá i gceist. Coney a chiallaíonn coinín agus garth a chiallaíonn gairdín. Tá Coneygar luaite i stair an cheantair seo siar go dtí an 12ú haois. De réir an Sheriff’s Acccount of the honor of Dungarvan 1262-1263, bhí cíos de £1 ag baint leis. I 1537 tugadh cuntas mar seo ar an áit …
A certain lande and a warreyn of conyes, called Congary Point, is holden by the said Gerard Fitz John, containing the lengthe three quarters of a mile and a bredthe one bowshot, well replenished with conyes.
Dealraíonn sé go raibh na coiníní flúirseach go maith san áit i bhfad siar. Táid fós ann.
Bhí tigh cónaithe amháin san áit le cúpla céad bliain. Bhí na Breathnaigh ag feirmeoireacht ann ag tús na 20ú haoise. Tugann The Irish Times, 3 Deireadh Fómhair, 1861 cur síos ar rásaí na gcapall ann thar dhá lá. Bhí faiche ghailf naoi bpoll ann ó 1924-1928. Bhí cáil ar an áit mar ionad turasóireachta sa 19ú haois agus ag tús na 20ú haoise.
An t-ainm atá ag muintir na Gaeltachta don áit ná an Chois – ag gobadh amach san fharraige mar a bheadh cos. Cóngar ba ea é acu le dul go Dún Garbhán ón Rinn. D’fhéadfaí siúl trasna go dtí Bóithrín na Trá i nDún Garbhán nuair a bhí sé ina lagtrá. Bhíodh bád farantóireachta ann freisin fadó.
The sandspit that stretches into Dungarvan Bay is known locally as the Cunnigar. The name is an example of the Gaelicisation of two Old English words coney meaning rabbit and garth which means garden. The name Coneygar is mentioned in local history back to the 12th century. According to the Sheriff’s Acccount of the honor of Dungarvan 1262-1263, a rent of £1 was attached to the land. In 1537 the following report was issued …
A certain lande and a warreyn of conyes, called Congary Point, is holden by the said Gerard Fitz John, containing the lengthe three quarters of a mile and a bredthe one bowshot, well replenished with conyes.
It appears that the rabbits were plentiful in the area in times past. They are still evident in the area.
There was one dwelling house on the land for a couple of hundred years. The Walshes were farming there early in the 20th century. The Irish Times of 3rd October 1861 gives a detailed account of a two day horse racing event on the Cunnigar. It was the site of a nine hole golf course between 1924-1928. It was a prominent tourist attraction in the area in 19th and early 20th. century.
The local Gaeltacht community refer to the place as An Chois as the sandspit juts into the sea in the form of a leg. It served as a shortcut from An Rinn to Dún Garbhán.
