The flexibility and breadth of meaning of words in the Irish language, seen in the word ban (white, pale, waste, untilled, empty, blank), is also found in the word breac. Its basic meaning is "speckled, spotted", but when combined with other words it covers a wide range of meanings, though with a basic connection between all. Breac-fhluich, wet here and there; breacla, a day of showers and sunshine; breacshlainte, middling health; breacalainn, variegated; breacan, plaid; breacanach, dressed in plaid, and breac-bhainne, milk slightly curdled. A rare thing nowadays is somebody who is breac- loirgneach, having shins speckled from the fire. (What else was it called besides ABC?) And if you wished to be derogatory to somebody you might call him smisteleisciuil, breac- loirgneach, "a lazy, speckled-shinned strong fellow".
When found as a place-name Breaclach means "a patch of stony ground," and anglicised as Bracklagh, Brackly, and Brackley it names places in a number of counties. Brackley Lodge, named from the townland of Brackley in the Co Cavan parish of Templeport, was given as the "seat" of J Finlay Esq, in Lewis's 1837 Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. G Finlay, Esq, was at Cornville in the same parish. One of the seven subscribers to this work was Thomas Finlay Esq, MP, Sugarloaf, Belturbet, Co Cavan.
The surname Finlay (also Finley and Findlay), is the name of a branch of the Scottish clan Farquharson, and derives from the Scottish Gaelic fionn laoch, "fair hero." This is betimes used as a synonym of Fennelly (O Fionnghalaigh) in counties Laois and Offaly. Telephone directories south of the Border lists two Findleys, 11 Findlays, 15 Finleys, and 265 Finlays. North of the Border there is but a single Findley in The Phone Book, five Findlays, seven Finleys and 380 Finlays.
A Biographical Dictionary of Irish Writers (1985) informs that William Findlay (1741-1821) who fought in the American War of Independence and became a member of the first Congress, was born in Northern Ireland (our italics). In 1741? (Interestingly St John Irvine in his Craigavon: An Ulster-man (1949) regularly refers to the Northern Irish state as "the Six Counties." The residents in the Southern State he called "Eireans"?).
The name Finlay does not feature in the Census of 1659; persons so-names on Taylor & Skinners Maps of the Roads of Ireland (1778) were at Corkach (now Corkagh), Clondalkin, Co Dublin, and at Cashell, Co Donegal. The Directory of 1814 shows a Mr Finlay each at Cronelush, Co Wicklow, at Lisfaunan, Co Donegal, and at Mountgable, Co Dublin.
One of the witnesses of a will made in Cork city in 1775 was ". . . Mary Findlay otherwise Harris, wife of Jas Findlay, silk mercer, of the people called Quakers . . ." Owners of Land of One Acre and Upwards (1836) shows Finlay holdings in all provinces except Munster. In Co Dublin the Rev John Corkagh had 412 acres, and 1,119 in Co Wicklow. Five of the six in Co Antrim had Belfast addresses, the largest being 105 acres. There were two five-acre holdings in Co Down, and a 453-acre holding of another Belfastresiding Finlay. In counties Derry and Leitrim were two modest holdings, but Co Cavan topped the lot with seven Finlay holdings.
Corrville was still a Finlay residence, on 13 acres; Alfred (a minor), Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, had 1,023 acres; Rev George, Dunleer, Co Louth had 572 acres; John at Kildallon, Ardlogher, had 99 acres: Sir Thomas Finlay, residing in London had 1,231 acres; Maria (no address) had 87 acres there, and the Finlay property at Brackley House, Bawnboy, was on 4,337 acres.
The plain around Ballymaguaran in the same parish of Templeport, was anciently known as Magh Sleacht (the plain of the slaughter - or possibly the cleared or felled plain), and it was at a battle there in Anno Mundi 3656 that Tighernas with three-quarters of the men of Ireland died at the worshipping of Crom Cruach, the chief idol of Ireland.