“Tús Maith Leath na hOibre” – the New Placenames Committee Begins Its Work
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From: Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
- Published on: 11 July 2024
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
“Tús Maith Leath na hOibre” – the New Placenames Committee Begins Its Work
Chairperson and ten members appointed by Minister Martin and Minister of State Byrne
In Dublin today (Thursday, 11 July 2024), the new Placenames Committee met for the first time. The Placenames Committee was established on a statutory basis at the beginning of this month when Section 13 of the Official Languages Act, 2021, which amends Section 31 of the Official Languages Act, 2003, came into effect. A Chairperson and ten ordinary members have been appointed to the Committee, which is to serve for three years, until June 2027.
The new Committee is focusing initially on steps to convert draft placename orders for certain counties into full placename orders. The Placenames Branch in the Department of Tourism, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media will continue its research on behalf of the Committee on the townland names in the counties for which there is no placenames order or draft order.
Minister Catherine Martin said in relation to the establishment of the Committee:
“The Placenames Committee is highly qualified to work under the auspices of my Department on this important area of our remit – the valuable work related to Irish placenames in this country. It is heartening that people from different backgrounds with expertise and interest in the field of placenames are willing to serve on the Committee for the next three years and generously share their time and expertise. It is also worth mentioning that the members of the Committee came forward as a result of an open expressions of interest process held by my Department, and I delighted that this approach was very successful.”
Speaking at the first meeting of the Placenames Committee today, Minister of State Thomas Byrne said:
“The country's placenames are an extremely valuable part of our heritage, deeply rooted in our people's sense of Irishness. The new Committee, with the support of the Placenames Branch in my Department, has a vital role to play in terms of advising me on the recommended Irish versions of the State's placenames. With the new Committee now in place, my Department will accelerate the preparation of placename orders so that the results of the research work of the Placenames Branch can be clearly accessible to the public.
“It also important to mention that the logainm.ie website, which is funded by my Department, is a fantastic resource, where the public can easily access the wealth of placenames in the country and the results of the work carried out by the Placenames Committee and the Placenames Branch.”
The members of the Placenames Committee serve voluntarily, for a term of three years. The Committee members are:
Chairperson:
• Professor Liam Mac Mathúna: Former Head of School, School of Irish, Celtic Studies, Irish Folklore and Linguistics, University College, Dublin; former member of the Placenames Commission; editor of Éigse.
Ordinary members:
• Dr Úna Bhreathnach: Editorial Manager/Assistant Professor, Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge, Dublin City University (DCU).
• Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig, MA: Former Principal Placenames Officer, Placenames Branch.
• Maura Lynskey, MA: author of An Ghaeilge ar Chomharthaí Stáit.
• Dr Patrick McKay: Dr McKay spent years working with the Northern Ireland Placenames Project agus he is the author of Dictionary of Ulster Placenames; Place-Names of Northern Ireland IV - County Antrim I, The Baronies of Toome, and Lough Neagh Places: Their Names and Origins.
• Máire Feiritéar: Expert in Connemara Irish; guest speaker on RTÉ and Raidió na Gaeltachta programmes regarding Irish language heritage and placenames.
• Donnchadh Ó Baoill, MA: Development Executive, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Doirí Beaga, Co. Donegal; West Donegal placenames expert.
• Nóilín Nic Bhloscaidh, MA: Language Advisor, Ulster University lecturer; member of the National Terminology Committee.
• Dr Aengus Ó Fionnagáin: Head of Irish Language Studies at the University of Limerick; Vice-President of the Society for Names Studies in Britain and Ireland.
• Caoimhe Ní Shúilleabháin, MA: Former Placenames Officer in the Placenames Branch; Former Acting Head of Unit, Department of Irish, Directorate General of Translation, European Commission; Executive Officer, Cill Dara le Gaeilge.
• Dr Liam Ó hAisibéil: Assistant Professor of Irish at the University of Galway; Co-author of the Oxford Dictionary of Family Names of Ireland (2021).
The main responsibility of the Placenames Committee is to advise the Minister regarding the declaration of Irish versions of Irish placenames under the Official Languages Act. This advice provided by the Committee is based on an examination of the research of the Placenames Branch – a research unit of the Department. To this end the Committee holds one meeting per quarter and research findings are regularly discussed online through an extranet system. The Principal Placenames Officer in the Department’s Placenames Branch acts as secretary to the Committee.