Sunlight In The Raven Woods

You might assume "The Raven" is named after the dark, mysterious bird (especially given the spooky pine forest), but it is actually a corruption of the Irish word "Rabhainn".

In Irish, Rabhainn refers to a spade-shaped piece of land.

If you look at the nature reserve on the map below, it makes perfect sense. It is a long, narrow sand spit that digs out into the sea, acting as a natural shovel or spade protecting Wexford Harbour. Over time, the pronunciation of Rabhainn was Anglicised to "Raven," and the bird association just stuck!

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