In a word

Following recent controversy over the longest word in the English language it may seem reckless to venture into similar terrain again and so soon but, be assured, foolishness won’t stop this column.

As previously discussed, there is general agreement that the longest place name in English is that of a small town in North Wales, that place called: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (58 letters). As explained previously here too, it is Welsh and means "St Mary's Church in a hollow of white hazel near the swirling whirlpool of the church of St Tysilio with a red cave."

It is the longest one-word place-name in Europe. Seriously. We may have made sure they can't win the Triple Crown or the Grand Slam in rugby but Wales still retains the longest one-word place name in Europe. But, sorry, it won't worry Warren Gatland, Welsh coach and beloved of Irish rugby fans.

He's from New Zealand and there's a place on the North Island there called Taumatawhakata- ngihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimau- nga horonukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu (85 letters). It is Maori and means "the summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one".

As you do. The Guinness Book of Records lists it as the longest official place-name in the world. But there's Bangkok. In Thai the full name for Bangkok is Krungthepmahanakorn amornratanakosinmahintara yutthayamahadilokphopnoppa-ratrajathaniburiromudomrajaniwesmahasatharnamornphimarn avatarnsathitsakkattiyav-isanukamprasit (163 letters).

Translated it means: "The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (unlike Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn." Almost as long as a tribunal report.

Here at home we are altogether more modest. The longest one-word place name in Ireland is believed to be Muckanaghederdauhaulia, near Kinvara, Co Galway. From the Gaeilge, Muiceanach idir Dhá Sháile it means "the pig-marsh between two saltwaters".

Next is Newtownmountkennedy (19 letters), Co Wicklow, which is believed to be the longest English-named place in Ireland. But frankly none can hold a candle to Ballaghaderreen (15 letters). Formerly of Mayo, it migrated to Roscommon in 1898, a fact still not recognised by the GAA. From the Gaeilge "Bealach an Doir ín ", as Béarla it is pure poetry, "the way through the little oak wood ". You have to agree.

inaword@irishtimes.com