Placenames Purely a Planning Matter?

A Chairde,

By way of clarification, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has included the following section in the Draft County Development Plan, however, it does not address the central issue of the Draft Placenames Heritage Policy document which was to cover more than just new developments. Section 16.3.7 below is for all future developments with no commitment to correct or amend existing problems.

(TEXT)

(iii) Naming of Residential Estates

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown placenames are an important part of the County’s cultural heritage and reflect local history from ancient times to the present. It is Council policy therefore that the naming of streets and residential estates shall reflect local place names or local people of note, heritage, language or topographical features as appropriate, and shall incorporate old place names from the locality as much as possible. Bi-lingual and Irish-language signs will be mandatory.

(END TEXT)

This is very much a minimalist approach to the problem as it only concerns new estates and new streets (or the renaming of existing ones), it does absolutely nothing to preserve the existing placenames heritage by dealing with the inconsistencies, inaccuracies and anomalies of the current naming (including Irish language translations) and signage. It does not, for example, require the Council to correct these signs nor indeed, to have any public consultation on the issue of placenames heritage.


A commitment to public consultation on this issue and a commitment to ensure that existing placenames are correctly shown on signage is the central issue of the Draft County Placenames Heritage Policy and the placing of such under the County Heritage Officer.


To this end, Section 16.3.7 is totally inadequate as it, in effect, confines the issue of our placenames heritage to new developments and therefore, a planning rather than a heritage matter.


So the very dubious translations such as An Naigín (Sallynoggin), Cábán tSíle (Cabinteely), Baile an Róistigh (Rochestown) and the number of Irish versions of Glenageary (Gleann na gCaorach / Gleann na Gaorthaidh / Gleann na Gaorthaibh) remain as such existing errors or anomalies are not covered by Section 16.3.7.


So signage such as the following remains:

Ascaill Radharc an Teampáill (avenue)
Churchview Road


Dún Laoghaire (Irish)
Dun Laoghaire (English version without the 'fada' ???)


Tite Mac Piarais (fallen? spelling?)
Pearse Villas


Bailtíní Sáile an Cnocáin (meaning what?)
Sallynoggin Villas


And, of course, many many more besides....


Mise le meas,


Michael Merrigan
General Secretary
Genealogical Society of Ireland