Of Spancil Hill P W Joyce says in his IRISH NAMES OF PLACES (Dublin,1875) "In the parish of Clooney in Clare is the village of Spancelhill, well known for its fairs. The correct Irish name is Cnoc-fuarchoilli [Knock-foorkilla], the hill of the cold wood,for so the Four Masters call it, when recording a battle fought there in 1559, between the rival earls of Ormonde and Desmond. In the colloquial language however, the f is aspirated and omitted, which reduces it to Cnoc-urchaill [Knockoorkill]; and as urchall or aurchomhal is a spancel,
the name came to be erroneously translated Spancelhill instead of Coldwoodhill."

"spancel n., a hobble often made of hay-rope or old clothing.
Kiely- A BALL OF MALT AND MADAME BUTTERFLY, 183; 'The wife has him tethered and spancelled in the haggard.'"
A DICTIONARY OF HIBERNO-ENGLISH, Terence Patrick Dolan(Dublin 1998).