My father-in-law called this afternoon and asked me a question regarding an Irish Gaelic word that he was unsure of. As I do not speak Irish Gaelic I have no idea why he thought I would know what the heck it means.
First, the explanation for the question.
A friend of my father-in-law worked as a foreign correspondent for Buckingham Palace. His last name was Carrochar. When he recently retired apparently the Queen gave him the title of Carobh of Carrochar (meaning "something of his last name?).
This Mr. Carrochar grew up in Scotland with my FIL, lived eventually in England and was the Irish Foreign Correspondent. All in all I am under the impression that “Carobh” is an Irish Gaelic word as my FIL speaks Scottish Gaelic and did not know the word. He also, for a reason I did not quite understand, seemed to think that Carobh was somehow related to the last surname O’Neil, and also that Carobh was at one time a surname itself.
I tried searching the word a few different places and came up with zlich. It may be spelled Carobh or Craobh, he was not sure.
Anyone out there know what the translation for Carobh would be? Or possibly the significance of the title Carobh of Carrochar?
Hmm. Well, it’s not in any of my dictionaries. A Google search turns up nothing except a musical group and a Gaelic football team both with the name Carobh Rua, the second word being Irish for red, so obviously it is an Irish word, but a very very very obscure one.
I also looked it up as carbh, and turned up this from MacBain’s Etymological (Scots) Gaelic Dictionary:
The * indicates a hypothetical word. I suppose there could be some connection … it’s the best I can do for the moment anyway
ruadh I found the football team as well when I searched. Unless she was naming him football captain of the clan I doubted this was it. (Although it could be possible…perhaps the Queen has run out of odd-means-nothing-really titles to bestow upon people and is grasping at straws anymore. Maybe she had just watched a game on T.V. and pulled it out of her royal hat.) There might be some connection with * carbh. * I am unsure of the significance of how it would relate to a title though. Seeing as I know zero about titles and why/who/what they mean, it is a possibility. Thanks for the help with this. It is much appreciated.
** hibernicus ** It is very possible that the word was * craobh * and not * carobh *. The fact that * craobh * means branch makes some kind of sense as it was used along with his last name (like a genealogical branch I’m thinking). “Branch of Carrochar”. I still wonder why that would be a specific title given to someone unless it implies something specific regarding the clan. Like “head of your branch of people” or something. Then again, maybe she did not like him much and knew he did not speak Irish and, thinking him dumb as a tree branch ,graced him with Craobh of Carrochar.
Thanks to both of you for the ideas. I’m going to keep trying. This has now become “one of those stupid questions” that is going to bug me until I find an answer.
sheesh … I somehow managed to miss the craobh alternative when I first read this thread. (That’s what happens when you log on at 7:30 in the morning, I guess.) That’s definitely what it should have been. See this page for the O’Neill connection.
I can’t find any references to the use of craobh as a title, so if this story of your friend’s is indeed true it sounds as though a bit of poetic licence has been taken with the language.
** ruadh ** I’m thinking it is spelled * craobh * now as well. Seems to make more sense as “branch” anyhow. I am also inclined to agree with the “poetic licence” part too. I can not seem to find any type of reference to this “title” anyplace I’ve tried. Thank you once again for the help.
