The interminable debate over what to call Dingle in Co Kerry is a reminder that placenames can evoke fierce passion and confuse unwary travellers, writes Michael Parsons
THE CO KERRY town of Dingle was officially renamed An Daingean in 2005 by the minister for the Gaeltacht Éamon Ó Cuív. He was implementing the 2003 Official Languages Act which banned "anglicised" names in Gaeltacht areas. But many locals were deeply unhappy - arguing that Dingle was a globally recognised tourist "brand". A "referendum" on the issue last year resulted in a huge majority voting for the bilingual "compromise", Dingle/Daingean Uí Chúis.
The Minister for the Environment John Gormley recently announced that he plans "to make Daingean Uí Chúis the official name of the town of An Daingean in the Irish language, with Dingle being the official name of the town in the English language". But road signage will be in Irish only.
There is a precedent. In the 1960s, Navan in Co Meath officially changed its name to An Uaimh. This led to a heated Dáil debate in 1968.
A local Labour TD, the late Jim Tully asked the then minister for Posts and Telegraphs Erskine Childers: "Is the minister aware that nobody calls it An Uaimh but that is the name on official correspondence and it is in the telephone directory as An Uaimh?" He pointed out that "people who ring from across the water have considerable difficulty in finding out where this place is". But the minister replied that he "never had any complaints about it" and that "An Uaimh is . . . the name of the exchange, and foreign firms have no difficulty in getting in touch with it." However, in 1971 the town's council had a change of heart and switched back to Navan.
Most major placename changes occurred during the State's early years. Kingstown became Dún Laoghaire and Queenstown became Cobh; the King's County reverted to Offaly where Philipstown became Daingean. The Queen's County was renamed Laois and Maryborough became Portlaoise.
Among important street names in Dublin, Sackville Street became O'Connell Street; Rutland Square became Parnell Square; and Great Britain Street became Parnell Street. Not all the changes were politically driven and "taste" was probably behind the loss of Gibbet Meadow (Mespil Road); Gallows Road (Lower Baggot Street) and the delightful Cuckold's Row (Brabazon Street).
But there is still unfinished business. Earlier this decade, there was a local plebiscite to abolish "Newtownsandes" as one of the official names of the dually-named Co Kerry village of Moyvane. The village acquired its second name in "honour" of an allegedly cruel late 19th-century landlord, George Sandes. But the measure failed because not enough people turned out to vote. Some members of Clare County Council have also reportedly suggested changing the spelling of Lahinch to Lehinch.
Bagenalstown in south Co Carlow was renamed "as Gaeilge" four decades ago and today the town is officially known as Muine Bheag. Despite the change, most locals still refer to Bagenalstown, named after 18th-century toff Sir Walter Bagenal, who designed the town along classical lines and which he reputedly wished to call "New Versailles". Iarnród Éireann recently caught up with officialdom and deleted Bagenalstown from its corporate memory. As a result, travellers attempting to select that name from the destinations listed on automated ticket machines at Heuston (formerly Kingsbridge) Station draw a blank.
The disappearance of kegs last year from the St James's Gate brewery brought a hitherto nondescript stretch of Dublin's quays to public attention. Reports of the crime referred to the address as Victoria Quay. Before you could say "800 years of oppression", Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin called in the Dáil for Victoria Quay to be changed to Fenian Quay to mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Fenian movement. He said Victoria Quay "commemorates the rule on these islands of the so-called famine queen, as she was referred to by many Irish people, queen Victoria".
She would not be amused.