Location

Caherboshina (or Cathar Bó Sine) is a small village situated approximately 4 kilometres from Daingean Uí Chúis or Dingle. Its position lies at the almost latitudal centre of Ireland's most westerly land-mass, Corcha Dhuibhne, or the Dingle Peninsula. Driving West from Daingean Uí Chúis, take the first left exit of the roundabout at Milltown (or Baile an Mhuillin) and continue on past the cemetary on your left, after which the road forks in two directions. Take the right-hand regional road continuing for 2 kilometres, passing through the crossroads junction at Monaree (or Móin an Fhraoigh). Take the next right following this road's bends until you meet the first house (a white bungalow) and at that point you have entered Caherboshina. The village continues for the length of the settlement until no houses are visible either side of the road. The village is situated between two others at opposing ends of the roadway, Ballyreagh (or An Bhaile Riabhach) to the East and Carnafooka (or Ceathrú na Phúca) to the West. Dingle (in Irish, An Daingean or Daingean Uí Chúis) is a growing town in County Kerry in the Republic of Ireland, on the Atlantic coast some 50 km west-south-west of Tralee and 80 km west-north-west of Killarney. ... Dingle Peninsula as viewed from Banna Strand The Dingle Peninsula (Irish: Corca Dhuibhne) is located in County Kerry and is the most westerly point of the Republic of Ireland. ...

About

Caherboshina was a large village before the time of the Great Famine of Ireland in 1847. The village had a population of approximately 80 adults and children living in stone & mortar dwellings. The village itself is less than 2 kilometres in length and is a linear settlement. During and shortly after the famine, the settlement shrunk dramatically and many of the ancient ruins are now lost forever. The village is now home to some 30 people with approximately 12 buildings currently built in the area (more are currently being processed for planning permission). Starvation during the famine The Irish Potato Famine, also called The Great Famine or The Great Hunger (Irish: An Gorta Mór), is the name given to a famine which struck Ireland between 1846 and 1849. ...

The Name

Caherboshina is an odd name. Pronounced as it is written in English, like many Anglicised Irish placenames it gives no clue as to its origins. For clues to its meaning, we must examine its Gaelic name - Cathar Bó Sine.

'Cathair' is the Irish word for 'city' or 'large-town'. It appears without its vowel 'i' in the Irish name due to linguistic constraints in the language with regard to opposing vowels. The word 'Cathair' may also be representative of the number 'four' in the Irish language, this word being spelt 'Ceathair'.

'Bó' is the Irish word for 'cow' or 'oxen'.

'Sine' is a word that has differring meanings and could allude to the word 'sinn' which is the collective noun 'us'. The direct translation of the word 'sine' from Irish to English leads us to the word 'nipple' or 'tit' which does not corroborate with any known references to anatomical representations in the village's history. 'Sine' is also a descriptive noun in the Irish language used on occasion to indicate 'the oldest' in terms of age, i.e. the oldest person - 'An Duine is Sine'.

Together, there are 2 popular definitions to the name:

Cathair an Bhó is Sine - The City of the Oldest Cow

Cathair an Bhogha Síne - The City of the Rainbow - 'Bogha Síne' meaning rainbow, a dramatic representation of the lettering.