The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project
Researching local place-names and providing councils with authoritative Irish forms for signage. Funded by DfC and based in Irish & Celtic Studies at QUB.
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- Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project‘paddle back in time’ is back for @niscifest.bsky.social 2026! Join us at Nendrum or on the Quoile nisciencefestival.com/event/paddle...
- Saul near Downpatrick refers to a barn which stood on land presented to St Patrick in AD 432 by the local chieftain Dichu as a site for his first churchz In 1170 Saul is referred to as Saball Patraic in the Annals of Ulster and as Sabhall Phádraig ‘Patrick’s Barn’ in the OS Name Book (1834)
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- The Co. Armagh village of Newtownhamilton was established c.1770 by Alexander Hamilton, a descendant of the John Hamilton from Scotland who founded Hamiltonsbawn in 1619. The parish was created in 1773 out of the neighbouring parish of Creggan.
- Our friends at @niscifest.bsky.social have been working on a new project and have now launched their website for 'Maps and Memories'. The project marks 200 years since the OS first mapping survey on Divis. Watch this space for exciting collaborations in 2026 nisciencefestival.com/programme/ma...
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- We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our friend Dr Gordon McCoy, former UPNS Secretary and a valued scholar of the Irish language, anthropology, and place-names. Gordon’s work with Turas, his Gaelic maps of Belfast and East Belfast, and his research. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.
- Important notice from the committee of the Ulster Place Name Society 👇
- Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name ProjectTá Béal Feirste ag ullmhú d'Oireachtas na Samhna 2025! Ceannaigh ticéad anseo: www.antoireachtas.ie/oireachtas-n... #OnaS25
- Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name ProjectSeoladh mór @leabharbreac.bsky.social ag @oirnagaeilge.bsky.social 3pm go dtí 5pm Dé hAoine 31 Deireadh Fómhair, sa gCultúrlann (sa Dánlann ar chúl an tsiopa leabhar, An Ceathrú Póilí)
- It is possible that Laoch of Cill Ó Laoch ‘church of the descendants of Laoch’ (Killyleagh) is a variant spelling of Luighdheach, a genitive form of Lughaidh which was a popular name in early Ireland. The ruins of the medieval parish church are north of the town centre. www.bbc.com/news/article...
- Páirc an tSeandúin - Shandon Park with seandún meaning ‘old fort’ www.bbc.com/news/article...
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- In the townland of Doagh, Co. Antrim, the Irish element dumhach ‘mound’ refers to a Norman motte, but in the four Co. Derry townlands named Doaghs (parish of Magilligan), the same element refers to the sand dunes along Magilligan Strand all the way to Magilligan Point.
- linenhall.com/event/place-... save the date!
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- Ravara (Ráth Bhearach ‘fort of heifers) is ’referred to as Balliravarragh in 1605. The parish of Dromara is also named after heifers: bearach. No ringfort appears to survive.
- Despite its appearance, Ahoghill isn't 'a hill for hogs', but a transliteration of Achadh Eochaille ‘field of the yew wood’ (see also Youghal, Cork). However we do have plenty of pig-hills like in Cornamuck (corr na muc), Tullymuck (Tulaigh muc) and Crocknamuck (Cnoc na muc)
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- Craobh ‘tree, branch’ appears as both ‘creeve’ and ‘crew’. The hill of Craobh Thulcha at Crew, Antrim was the site of two famous battles between the rival peoples of Uí Néill and Ulaid. To emphasise their victory in 1099, the Uí Néill party cut down the sacred tree of the Ulaid.
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- We are delighted to be partnering with the Andersonstown News with a regular piece on our local place-names. Kicking off with Divis. belfastmedia.com/writing-on-t...
- Did you know that the city of Derry was once an island? The area now known as the Bogside was originally underwater. The Foyle flowed round the island, and was first settled as the river diverted. It dried out into marshland: hence the name Bogside.
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- Rising to 687 metres, Sawel Mountain is the highest peak of the Sperrins, sitting on the border of Counties Derry and Tyrone. The full name of the mountain is Samhail Phite Méabha ‘likeness to Maeve’s vulva’ and is said to be used metaphorically to refer to a hollow on the side of the mountain.
- Baile (usually ‘bally’) originally meant ‘place’, later 'a piece of land belonging to an individual or group, but gradually took on wider meanings; land-measure, homestead, home, abode, town, village, place' In medieval texts the word was used to refer to a passage in a book and a part of the body!
- Macha ‘pasture’ in Armagh (Ard Mhacha ‘height of Macha’) is the name of a land-goddess who represents sovereignty in the myths of the ancient Ulstermen. Armagh is also where Patrick built his great stone church in 445AD, making Armagh the Ecclesiastical Capital of Ireland.
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- Dubhais, consisting of dubh (black) and ais (ridge), is the longstanding Irish name of Divis mountain. However, recent reconsideration by the Placenames team of the pronunciation of Divis in English suggests the slender variant Duibhis is much more likely to be the original local name.
- An exciting new venture from our friends @profkdlilley.bsky.social and @niscifest.bsky.social on our very own doorstep. Looking forward to the programme of events that they have planned belfastmedia.com/celebrating-...
- An exciting new venture from our friends @profkdlilley.bsky.social and @niscifest.bsky.social on our very own doorstep. Looking forward to the programme of events that they have planned belfastmedia.com/celebrating-...
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- Ballyhackamore (Baile an Chacamair ‘townland of the slob land or mud flat’) featuring cac ‘excrement’ refers to soft mud or slob land. Now inland, its western boundary is the Connswater and it may have bordered on part of Belfast Lough before modern land-reclamation schemes.
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