When did Dunleary become Dún Laoghaire?

A

ajapale

Moderator
Messages
7,701
Does anyone know when (and why) Dunleary become Dún Laoghaire?

Almost everyone I know from the port borough formerly known as Kingstown refers to Dunleary pronounced "done-leery". When was the inelegant and difficult to pronounce Dún Laoghaire become current?

How would one go about changing it back to the perfectly acceptable Dunleary.
 
I presume you're talking about the correct Irish language pronunciation of Dún Laoghaire as opposed to it being pronounced colloquially but technically incorrectly as "done-leery". I've never seen Dunleary written anywhere officially (e.g. signs, addresses etc.) but I could be wrong (worked out there for several years in the 90s). If you want to revert even further why not Kingstown?
 
I suppose I have a few different questions.

Of all the towns and cities in Ireland why does Dunleary take its Gaelic form when writing in the English language. And when this transformation happen?

When speaking English a growing number of people are using the Gaelic pronunciation.
 


Careful now... You might be opening a Ceannus Mor of worms...
 
ajapale said:
Does anyone know when (and why) Dunleary become Dún Laoghaire?

How would one go about changing it back to the perfectly acceptable Dunleary.
Click to expand...

I would have thought that a poster who has the Irish "An Riocht" under his posting name be more than happy to stick with Irish place names over their anglicized versions?
 
As were the indigenous burghers of Daingean Ui Chuis?
 
If you believe the history books then Dunleary is the very old part of the area down by the Purty Kitchen/Salthill area, and as such is a different place than (although located within) Dun Laoghaire. So Dunleary has not "become Dún Laoghaire". I'm pretty sure there was never a borough called Dunleary, but I could be wrong.

As an aside, I remember the Boomtown Rats had a song called "How do you spell Dun Laoghaire ?" as a b-side for one of their singles. Or it may have been called "How do you spell Dunleary ?" possibly. It was a long time ago and the memory is not so good.

I've lived the best part of the last 40 years within a few miles of the harbour and worked in DL for many years and I think it is safe to say that very, very few of the people I know have ever pronounced it 'as gaelige' - Doon Layrah. Almost everyone I know pronounces it Dun Leery. Maybe it's just the people you meet who pronounce it the other way.

I have noticed that people have started calling it DL these days, but obviously this is only usefull in conversation with a person who knows the area or where the context of the conversation lends itself to understanding what DL is supposed to be.

z
 
ajapale said:
Of all the towns and cities in Ireland why does Dunleary take its Gaelic form when writing in the English language. And when this transformation happen?
Click to expand...

I suspect the timing of the name change back to Dún Laoghaire in 1921 provides the clue to why there's no official anglicised version to go with the more native Irish version. The people involved probably wanted to compound the dig at the British/Unionists.
 
I always thought that "The Borough" was one of the last Dublin bastions for people who would be unlikely to be taking digs at the British/Unionists?
 
ajapale said:
I suppose I have a few different questions.

Of all the towns and cities in Ireland why does Dunleary take its Gaelic form when writing in the English language.
Click to expand...

Cobh also used extensively.

Kingstown and Queenstown definitely don't have the same Ring as Cobh and Dun Laoghaire.
 
Thanks for the many very high quality replies!

If I can summarise:

Dunleary changed its name to Kingstown in the early 1800's

Kingstown changed its name to Dún Laoghaire in 1921.

Since then most people pronounce Dún Laoghaire "Done leerey" when speaking English. Leaving only the occasional RTE newsreader who pronounes in the Gaelic fashion when speaking English.

There are other towns which have gone through similar changes notably.
Cobh (pronounced Cove) formerly known as Queenstown.
Ceannas Mór (is this Kells??)
Droighead Nua (Newbridge Co Kildare)
Dangean Co Offaly (Phillipstown, in the Kings County)
Portlaoise Co Laoise (formerly Marborough in the Queens County)

aj
 
ClubMan said:
I always thought that "The Borough" was one of the last Dublin bastions for people who would be unlikely to be taking digs at the British/Unionists?
Click to expand...

It was named Kingstown in 1821 so entering into further supposition given the political upheaval of their times they were probably attracted to the symbolism of naming it back on the centenary. It would be interesting to know more about the councilors concerned. The only links I can find on the web suggest it was an unpopular decision at the time.
 
A small correction in the interest of accuracy. Portlaoise was known as Maryborough in Queens County. My mother always called it that. It was the most planted county in Ireland I was led to believe. Farmers in County Laois were actively involved at the time of the Land League and Davitt.

[broken link removed]
[broken link removed]

County Laoghis became County Laois in English for simplicity I'd imagine. At one time it was called County Leix - but there's no 'x' in the Irish language.

I've always known Dun Laoghaire as that or as Dun Laoire. However, I have a vague recollection of receiving post from DLRCo.Council in the last 15 years with the address given as Dunleary. It musn't have caught on.
Originally Posted by ClubMan
I always thought that "The Borough" was one of the last Dublin bastions for people who would be unlikely to be taking digs at the British/Unionists?
Click to expand...
I think you're right about that. Dun Laoghaire figured quite a bit in James Plunkett's book "Strumpet City" and would have supported that view.

.
 
Last edited:
[broken link removed]
The present name, Dun Laoghaire, was adopted again in 1920. This name was the Irish version of Dunleary meaning the fort of Laoghaire.
 
What's another year?

The first link above says 1921 too "It remained Kingstown through Victorian times until in 1921, one year before independence,.."
though I wouldn't have thought Wikipedia can always lay claim to accuracy.
 
afaik most people in kells refer to it as kells and not as ceannanus mor. in fact don't know anyone who uses the irish name.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register