Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · 4d

Páirc an tSeandúin - Shandon Park with seandún meaning ‘old fort’ www.bbc.com/news/article...

Irish language: Bilingual street sign damaged with angle grinder

The white sign to Shandon Park was cut with an angle grinder with the Irish language removed.

www.bbc.com

1

Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project

Patrick Brannigan @patrickjmb.bsky.social · 7d

Cloud-capped #Mournes from the townland of Magherasaul/Machaire Sabhall ‘plain of barns', @placenamesni.bsky.social

#CountyDown
#SpéirGhorm

Corrected from earlier post.

5 11

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · 16d

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.

2 4

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · 16d

Hi Liam. Thanks for getting in touch. The UPNS road name project was led by the Ulster Place-Name Society. Different body (but lots of the same people involved). See placenamesni.org for more recent research :)

Experience

placenamesni.org

1

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · 17d

linenhall.com/event/place-... save the date!

Place-naming and Place-sharing in Northern Ireland - The Linen Hall, Belfast

As part of the celebrations for Oireachtas na Samhna, The Linen Hall is delighted to welcome Professor Mícheál Ó Mainnín, Dr Frances Kane, and Dr Brian Devlin for a fascinating talk on the history and...

linenhall.com

4 3

Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project

Patrick Brannigan @patrickjmb.bsky.social · 17d

Morning sky over Raholp, Saul, Slieve Patrick. Wow!

#Lecale #LeathCathail
#CountyDown
#SpéirGhorm
#Skyscape

Possible: Ráth Cholpa ‘fort of the steer’, source @placenamesni.bsky.social

3 34

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · 28d

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.

Patrick Brannigan @patrickjmb.bsky.social · 28d

On my off-main roads travels near Saintfield, I see a road marked Ravara - from where might this derive, please, @placenamesni.bsky.social

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 2

We are the Northern Ireland Place-Name Project, based in Irish & Celtic Studies at QUB since 1987. Funded by DfC since 2023, we research the origins and meanings of local names and support councils with Irish forms for signage. Explore our searchable corpus at placenamesni.org.

1 1 3

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 15

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)

a man in a pig costume says what ?

ALT: a man in a pig costume says what ?

media.tenor.com

3

Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project

Lorraine Mulholland @lorraineelizab6.bsky.social · Sep 9

9 Sept: Feast Ss Mochta mac Dergain of Druim, Fer Dá Chrích, Dar Erca, Fíalán "the Miraculous", Dímmán & Conall the sage "son of Oengus". "druim"=back, ridge. In c. 2,400 Irish townlands, anglicised drum/drom/drim ( @placenamesni.bsky.social )! 📷Drumlins, Ballymorran, Strangford, Down ©Albert Bridge

1 3

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 9

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.

1 3

Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project

Dr Frances Kane @drfranceskane.bsky.social · Sep 8

Had the pleasure today of getting up close and personal with some of John O’Donvan’s handiwork and his edits for the names of Tory Island with an excellent session hosted by the wonderful Crystal Bennes @ria.ie 😍

1 2

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 8

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...

Writing on the Wall/An Scríbhinn ar an Bhalla

Tá an Ghaeilge i bhfad níos feiceálaí anois ar chomharthaí sráidainmneacha ar fud Bhéal Feirste ná mar a bhí riamh. Toradh é seo ar pholasaí nua a thug Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste isteach in 2022...

belfastmedia.com

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 8

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.

3

Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project

Dr Frances Kane @drfranceskane.bsky.social · Sep 5

Writing for the OS memoirs, John O’Donovan comments “what a pit-y that the Irish were so fond of calling places after such pits as the pit of Queen Meve” 😂 @irelandmapped.bsky.social

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 5

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.

2 8

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 5

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.

2 1 10

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 5

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!

1 7

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 4

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.

Marianne @maz37.bsky.social · Sep 3

Ard Mhacha Abu

4 4

Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project

(Dr) Rena Maguire @justrena.bsky.social · Sep 3

The super folks at @belfastsociety.org have annihnced this year's lectures. Some absolute stonkers I've marked in to attend, one being @profkdlilley.bsky.social on Oct 8th retracing OS surveyors ( for all of us who live for the OS Memoirs!)
Venue: Old Museum,College Sq N.

6 11

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 3

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.

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 3

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-...

Celebrating 200 years since first mapping survey of Divis Mountain took place

A NEW community heritage project has been launched which will shine a light on the rich and fascinating heritage of the Ordnance Survey in Ireland.

belfastmedia.com

4

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 3

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-...

Celebrating 200 years since first mapping survey of Divis Mountain took place

A NEW community heritage project has been launched which will shine a light on the rich and fascinating heritage of the Ordnance Survey in Ireland.

belfastmedia.com

2 7

Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project

Dr Frances Kane @drfranceskane.bsky.social · Sep 3

Notoriously ‘cac’ was also applied as a derogatory nickname to King James II (Séamas an Chaca ‘James of the Excrement’) after his defeat at the Battle of the Boyne 💩

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 3

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.

Una Murphy @unamurphy.bsky.social · Sep 3

The townland of Ballyhackamore in #Belfast? I’ve heard lots about the etymology so just wanted to check!
@placenamesni.bsky.social

1 2

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 3

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.

Una Murphy @unamurphy.bsky.social · Sep 3

The townland of Ballyhackamore in #Belfast? I’ve heard lots about the etymology so just wanted to check!
@placenamesni.bsky.social

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 2

Dia dhaoibh, a chairde!

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project has just landed on Bluesky. We will be sharing stories, history and a few surprises behind our local place-names.

Do you have ideas on what type of content you would like to see? Maps, archives or just fun facts? Let us know below 😀

4

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 2

Thanks Lorraine! Great to see you again :)

1 1

Reposted by The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project

Lorraine Mulholland @lorraineelizab6.bsky.social · Sep 2

Welcome to bluesky to @placenamesni.bsky.social ! xx.

Through their website I learnt the meaning of my townland of 'Ballyminstra' outside Ahoghill in Co. Antrim! Baile Mainistreach means ‘townland of the monastery’! Hugely relevant and pleasing to me, as I obviously love early Irish church history!

1 1 4

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project @placenamesni.bsky.social · Sep 2

a black and white photo of a woman sitting on a window sill with her arms outstretched .

ALT: a black and white photo of a woman sitting on a window sill with her arms outstretched .

media.tenor.com

1