TalkingProperty: The end to labelling housing estates with exotic and aspirational placenames may be just around the corner, writes Michael Parsons.
From the majestic peaks of Tudor Heights (Ashbourne, Co Meath) to the gentle lowlands of Tuscany Downs (Raheny, Dublin) the national housebuilding boom has resulted in a profusion of estates with exotic and aspirational names.
A random selection of recent developments includes White Linen Woods (Longford); Woodberry Court (Roscommon); Embassy Manor (Kill), Madeira Grove (Enniscorthy); Olcovar (Dublin 18); Camden Wharf (Cork); and Jolly Mariner (Athlone).
Not everyone is pleased. Critics bemoan the fact that such names often have no connection with the locality or indigenous culture. In an impassioned speech at Béal na mBláth in 2003, Dr Patrick Wallace, director of the National Museum of Ireland said: "There is no excuse for not using our unique stock of placenames more frequently, especially in the naming of new housing estates, streets and business premises - if only for their sonorous beauty."
He lambasted the fashion for "floods of new bogus placenames" in a country "teeming with names for every field". County Cork alone, he pointed out, has 5,500 townland names.
In one of the most trenchant political interventions on the issue, Westmeath Fine Gael TD Paul McGrath raised the matter during a 2001 debate in the Dáil: "Some housing estates are given the most appalling and totally inappropriate names" he said, which "bear no relation to Ireland or the wealth of local history".
He referred to the townland of Robinstown in his constituency where a developer had built Sherwood Park possibly "thinking of Robin Hood". The deputy suggested that "more thought and consideration" be given to naming estates.
A more practical approach was adopted in Kerry where Independent Cllr Michael Healy-Rae, in a stroke of political genius worthy of Kim Jong-il, named a council house estate - after himself! While mayor of Kerry in 2003, a housing scheme, conveniently located in his home village of Kilgarvan, was dubbed "Healy-Rae Park".
As the Kingdom newspaper reported, the decision "caused consternation". In a rare example of Kerry understatement, his fellow councillor Seán Counihan objected to "the apparent lack of formal procedure at county council level to deal with the naming of local authority estates". So what are the rules?
A spokeswoman for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government told The Irish Times that "the only mention in the Planning and Development Act is that the planning authorities may direct that estates reflect the area where development takes place. The department hasn't issued guidelines to local authorities."
So it's up to each individual city or county council to make its own rules and there are signs that some of the more exuberant excesses of the past are being curtailed.
Fingal says that it has established committees made up of councillors and local historians who vet names suggested by developers. The name which "must have local relevance" is approved by the council before new housing schemes are marketed.
They cite recent examples, such as the Holywell estate (in an area with a holy well) and Courtney Way (named after a local person).
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown's guidelines for developers state that the names for new estates "should reflect historical, topographical, or architectural features of the locality" and that all proposals are referred to the council's heritage officer.
In Kilkenny, a spokesman for the county council said "detailed proposals for an estate name and associated signage" must be submitted to the planning department "prior to the commencement of development" and should "reflect local historical or topographical features".
Kildare's county development plan states: "It is the policy of the council that names of residential developments should reflect local and Irish placenames."
Waterford County Council has established a Coiste Logainmneacha (placenames committee) made up of a mixture of council staff and members of the public from around the county which submits names for approval at county council meetings.
They aim to "promote Irish or bilingual names, which reflect local placenames, history and heritage" and recent examples include Ard na Mara - for an estate at Crooke on raised ground overlooking the sea; and Cúl Trá because the houses are in an area known as the "backstrand" in Tramore.
The "Gaillimh le Gaeilge" organisation works with Galway City Council to develop names that are "simple enough that a non-Irish speaking person can easily pronounce them", such as Cluainín (little meadow), An Logán (little hollow) and Luí na Gréine (setting of the sun) and claims that "99 per cent of new housing estates in Galway city are named in Irish".
A spokesman for Galway City Council said that signage for housing estates is in Irish only, though for rare exceptions - if the name is in English for historical reasons - bilingual signs are accepted.
In many areas of the country the nameplates on new housing estates currently appear in English only. So are there any rules requiring bilingual signage for new housing estates?
A spokesman for the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs said that Minister Ó Cuív is preparing new regulations under the Official Languages Act of 2003 which will require "streetname wall signs erected by local authorities in estates" to be "in Irish and English" or, in Gaeltacht areas, in Irish only.
But the new rules will not apply to private estates. However, the department "would encourage local authorities to work with developers to ensure that signage on private estates is also bilingual".
If they do, expect to see dual-language signage, such as Windsor Villas/Bailtíní Windsor or Plásóga Balmoral/Balmoral Lawns posted at the entrances to gated estates. A developer looking for a name that encapsulates old and new might care to try "Lána Wisteria".
