Lousybush Lane: The Story Behind the Name

Ever wondered how Lousybush Lane beside us got its name? TY Local History students explored the origins of one of Kilkenny’s most striking place names. The name comes from the Irish Sceach na Míol, meaning ‘hawthorn of the lice’ Why lice? Records from the Ordnance Survey in the 1830s note that this spot on the edge of the city was once a meeting place for beggars, who were often afflicted by lice.

By examining folklore and placenames evidence, we saw how the name of one of the city’s smallest lanes preserves stories of poverty, community and life on the margins of medieval Kilkenny. It is heartening that modern developments have not erased the name.