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Traolach is a modern Gaelic form of an Irish name which was originally Tairdelbach, according to O Corrain & Maguire's Irish Names. It originally meant "instigator." The connection with Terence is one of those "conventional translation" connections. When the English overlords tried to suppress the Gaelic language, the custom grew of "translating" Gaelic names into names familiar to the English. These became conventional equivalents even though there was no real etymological connection. Some other examples in addition to Traolach-Terence were Conchobar-Cornelius, Gobnait-Abigail, Gobnait-Deborah, and Diarmait-Jeremiah.

This message was edited 7/25/2006, 6:04 PM