What’s in a name? Part I

By Adrian Cusack

A friend’s uncle was once driving across the country when he picked up an American hitch-hiker.

When they reached Athlone, the Californian looked intently at the sign welcoming visitors to the town. “Where is Athl-2?” he asked. “If this is Athl-1, where is Athl-2?”

It took my friend’s uncle a while to realise that his passenger had read 'Athlone’ as 'Athl-1’.

The Californian was only passing through - but it would have been interesting to get his views on some of the more unusual placenames in Athlone and its surrounding areas.

What, for instance, would he make of The Shambles, Bullet Road, Monksland, Boggagh, The Pigeons, Hatter’s Lane or Golden Island? 

Placenames recently became a topic of discussion in the Westmeath Independent newsroom when, at a council meeting, it was revealed that roadworks were planned on Cave Road.

This road is a right turn on the main road between Athlone and Moate (towards Castledaly and Ballinahown). The location of the cave which apparently inspired its title remains a mystery to us!

There is also a degree of mystery about the origins of Golden Island - an area which grew in prominence after the opening of its shopping centre in 1997.

Local history books fail to explain the background to the name, but it is speculated that both Golden Island and the nearby Islandboy (Oilean bui) were named because of their tendency to flood and attract yellow - or 'golden’ - flowers which would grow once the flooding subsided.

The names of Dublingate Street and Northgate Street are remnants of Athlone’s former status as a walled town. The 'Dublin Gate’ was the fortified entry and exit point for the Leinster side of Athlone.

What is less easy to determine is where exactly the present-day Dublingate Street begins and ends!

As best we can determine, Nut’s Corner pub and the one-hour photo shop next door are on Mardyke Street, while REA Hynes auctioneers, at the nearby 'bottleneck’, lists its address as Church Street. Generally speaking, Dublingate Street would seem to be the area in between, which could mean it’s the shortest street in Athlone. Clarification from readers on this point would be welcome!

All roads can be dangerous at times, but Bullet Road, near Ballykeeran, sounds particularly ominous. As a former work colleague remarked, “it sounds like somewhere in Afghanistan.”

Much more pleasing to the ear is Paradise Row. This is a lane to the right as you enter Court Devenish from Northgate Street in Athlone. In 1784 it was known as Thomas’ Lane, but it was recorded as 'Paradise Row’ in 1848.

In England, Luton Town FC are known as 'The Hatters’ but it wasn’t a football fan who gave Hatter’s Lane in Athlone its title. The name dates from the time when Athlone was home to a thriving felt hat industry.

An Athlone hatmaker, Francis McCabe, lived and worked at Hatter’s Lane. The hats made in Athlone were very highly regarded, and the famous writer Jonathan Swift was quoted as saying: “Those who are born in this country will think themselves abundantly happy when they can afford an Athlone hat.”

The Shambles is certainly among the most memorable placenames in Athlone. This little laneway on the west side of town, between The Docks and Fry Place, was known as the butcher’s quarter. It would be interesting to find out how the words 'The Shambles’ became attached to it. Puddings were made nearby, at Pudding Lane.

It’s unlikely that the origin of the name 'Monksland’ is universally known among the many people who moved to this fast-expanding area in recent years.

The name derives from the awarding of land to monks from St Peter’s Abbey in Athlone, to compensate them for other land which they had lost on the west side of the town.

Scotch Parade on the east side of Athlone (beside Behan’s fruit and vegetable shop) is believed to have earned its label when Scottish soldiers were stationed there and would march across town to the army barracks while it was under British control.

The Pigeons, north of Glasson, might be the only area in Westmeath named after a bird. It’s believed to have gotten its name from the pub, The Three Jolly Pigeons.

The wonderful name 'Boggagh’ is attached to a townland between Moate and Castleday, and the label refers to a 'soft place’ or swamp. 'Curries’ does not just refer to foods from Indian restaurants - it is also a townland near Moate.

Finally, a person does not have to get on a plane to visit Bethlehem or America.

Bethlehem entered the realm of local placenames when it was used by the Poor Clare nuns as the title of a convent they founded on land adjoining Lough Ree, near Glasson. And America is believed to be the name of a townland near Moore in South Roscommon.

This article has only skimmed the surface when it comes to local placenames - and we plan to include a second article on the subject in next week’s paper.

We would be delighted to hear of any other interesting place or road names in the locality, or of any interesting stories about how placenames originated.

Please get in touch at 090 6434300, write to the Westmeath Independent, 11 Sean Costello Street, Athlone, or email: adrian.cusack@westmeathindependent.ie