COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 08, 2014

QUESTION NO. 19

QUESTION: Councillor G. O'Connell

To ask the Chief Executive for a report on this Councils policy in relation to place names, to include in his reply the role played by Townlands in identifying settlements, estates and roads, the role of local folklore and traditional/popular place names and how areas such as North Clondalkin, South Lucan and West Tallaght (using them as examples only) came to be named and if he can identify the Townlands on which they are located?

REPLY:

The Council's policy in relation to place names is set out as follows:-

"While the responsibility for proposing naming and numbering schemes for new developments rests with the developer, the Council advises developers of requirements and approves the eventual scheme. The use of the Irish language exclusively is encouraged.

It is Council policy that the name chosen for a development must reflect the local and/or historical context of the area in which it is located. This should be done in a manner that is not overly obscure or difficult to relate to. This can be achieved by reference to local history; the townland, parish or other long-established name, past industry or employment in the area, local topography, or a well-known association of a significant historical individual, event or custom from the local area. Local history societies or a local library may be able to offer advice.

The name proposed to the Naming and Numbering section of the Planning Department must also not duplicate or be easily confused with an existing name in the County. This is in the interests of owners, occupiers, visitors, service and utility providers and for rapid emergency service provision. The scheme must also comply with the guidelines on naming and numbering of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, preferably should include the use exclusively of the Irish language and should have regard to the Guidelines issued by the Place Names Commission (An Coimisiún Logainmneacha). In this way the naming of new developments can contribute to or help maintain a sense of identity for the area in which it is located."

The grouping of parts of Clondalkin, Lucan or Tallaght together using a 'north', 'south' or 'west' prefix has evolved into general parlance as a means of describing a series of neighbourhoods that generally share certain characteristics, but do not comprise the totality of the settlement. The names of individual neighbourhoods are almost always based on local townland names or local features e.g. Neilstown, Rowlagh, Finnstown, Griffeen, Jobstown, Fettercairn, but in isolation, each of these areas is not quite at the scale of a district, which is typically larger.  This has given rise to shorthand groupings prefixed by 'north', 'south' or 'west' when referring to such areas as a subset of an overall settlement as in the case of Clondalkin, Lucan or Tallaght.