Clock = Klok = Bell

[ticktocktwang]

A final word re the use of the word "clock" in England should be left to Mr. C.M. O'Keeffe, whose interpretation was printed in 1857 in the Ulster Journal of Archaeology.    I have transcribed it here as it must have required years of painstaking research to come to this succinct conclusion.


Ulster Journal of Archaeology, series 1, volume V, p165-166, 1857

Queries Section.

Is the English word "clock" derived from the Irish clog, a bell?  If not, from what is it derived? 

 I think the derivation is likely: because Dean Swift has said –

"England, confess this land of mine
First taught thee wisdom, human and divine;"

that is to say, the Saxon pagans of England received the arts of civilisation from Irish missionaries; and these probably were the first to introduce bells.  The most noticeable part of a clock to a rude people would be its bell, which sounded the hours; and the name of that part would come in time to be applied to the whole machine.

							C. M. O'Keefe


So there you have it  -  Mr O'Keeffe's interpretation of Dean Swift's ditty puts a final end to this question!!  No need for any further discussion!!  I browsed through more of Mr O' Keeffe's comments regarding other trivial matters .  A little further down the same page, a query regarding the origin of the names of the counties of Ireland  does not merit a straight answer but instead we are told on very good authority by Mr. O'Keeffe, that at the Council of Constance, 1477, it was decided that there ought to be Four Empires in Europe – Rome, Constantinople,  Ireland &  Spain.  


Yes, I thought it was hilarious too, it could never happen - imagine, including Spain????