This talk will focus on the extensive literary corpus from Ireland known as Dindshenchas Érenn, ‘A History of Ireland’s Notable Places’.

What makes these places 'notable' is that they are sites of human activity and the relationship between people and their surroundings is expressed through stories recounting how places got their names. Themes range from the practical, the clearing of plains for agriculture, and ownership of land, to the supernatural. Echoing through the centuries, the intimate interaction with the environment embodied in this material is of enduring interest, as we continue to probe and articulate our engagement with landscape today.