There used to be a castle in Newtown called "Caisleán an Fheadáin," the probable location shown on the Ordnance Survey map as "Feddann Castle."
"Feadán" in place names, usually means "Stream" (per www.logainm.ie ). So "Caisleán an Fheadáin" probably meant "Castle of the Stream." (Modern Irish has "Fead" as "Whistle," "Feadán" as "Tube" and "Feadóg" as the wind-instrument known as "Whistle.")
Apparently, when the castle was no more, people dropped "Caisleán" from the name and referred to the place as "An Fheadáin," (pronounced "Unn Add-On"), which shortened in speech to " 'N 'eadán," whence "Newtown."
Source: Ordnance Survey Letter No. 22 King's County (Jan 16, 1838).
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