Some composers are so renowned that the are referred to only by their last name. Beethoven. Schubert. Bartok. and also Carolan.

Just don't say the first name! We have no idea how it was pronounced in his place and time. It's like the word 'comprise.' Using it will merely stir up argument, so don't use it.

I doubt whether his name was Turlough at all. A turlough is a wet, sunken piece of ground. Who names their new baby boy after a wet, sunken piece of ground? Do we name our sons 'Swamp,' 'Bog' or 'Sinkhole'?

No, we do not. We may name our sons Cliff, Craig or Glen, but we don't name them after nasty, wet places that produce mosquitoes. So where did the 'Turlough' idea come from? Somebody probably read a hand-written register wrong, and a fallacy was born.

In the meantime, arguing about pronunciation wastes valuable time that could be spent playing Carolan's wonderful music.