Inniskilling, known locally in isiXhosa as Hakula, has links to both Irish history and local oral tradition.

The name Inniskilling, also spelled Enniskillen, comes from the Irish Gaelic “Inis Ceithleann”.

“Inis” means island, and “Ceithleann” refers to a figure from Irish mythology.

The older spelling, “Inniskilling”, is also linked to British military history, especially the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons.

This military link may explain the name’s use in the Eastern Cape, where British and Irish regiments were active during the 19th-century Frontier Wars. Other Kei Mouth road names, such as Frontier Road and Old Fort Hill Road, also reflect this history.

The name Hakula comes from local oral history. According to the story, a young woman found that she could walk out to the rocks and collect many mussels. When villagers later went to gather them, a large wave drowned them. Since then, the rocks have been treated as a customary marine protected area, where the sea is protected through local cultural practices. (see also the link to Marine Protected Areas)