DEBATE ON IRISH PLACE-NAMES

BAIRBRE O'HOGAN,

BAIRBRE O'HOGAN,

A chara, - I have followed with interest your readers' correspondence on Irish place-names.

Whatever about the possible difficulty of visitors with our logainmneacha, I fail to understand how our local authorities can continually erect signs with incorrect spelling, grammar or translations.

A new sign in the Dublin 14 area directs the public to "Iarsmallan an Phairsaigh". Poor Pearse must be turning in his grave! - Is mise,

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BAIRBRE O'HOGAN,

Farmhill Park,

Goatstown,

Dublin 14.

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A chara, - Further to the series of letters on Irish place-names I would like to suggest the discussion be extended to surnames.

Anglicised Gaelic names are the badge of our former colonial status which we wear often without realising it. The profusion of variations on even one surname (despite standardisation of spellings) reveals a time when an external administration neither knew nor cared about the language of the people they colonised.

For example, my own surname, Cryan, is one variant of the Ó Croidheáin surname which originated in the Donegal/Sligo areas. In my family history research I have discovered five phonetical variations (Cryan, Crean, Crehan, Crane and Cregan) with 42 different spellings. Confusions also abound, as some Anglicisations are synonyms of other Gaelic names; for example, Tom Crean, the famous explorer, was an Ó Cuirín from Kerry.

It is time to lose our "pet" names and question the follies of former times. By returning some sense to our cultural heritage we will be able to make a huge contribution to a modern, culturally diverse Europe. Then we could start to actually learn and use the language and finally complete the process of linguistic decolonisation. - Yours, etc.,

CAOIMHGHIN Ó CROIDHEÁIN,

Ard Cholmcille,

Sord Cholmcille,

Co Bhaile Átha Cliath.