Towards an Index of Ulster-Scots place names in Donegal and the North West

Conal Gillespie

Tha either nicht A wuz lyin ben ma bed reading aboot Ulster-Scotch place an toonlan names i tha last Ullans an hit pit me tae thinkin aboot place an toonlan names ben Donegal an tha NorWest. Th’ Ulster-Scotch names is still kenspeckle ben Donegal shews th’ thae names is wh’ tha people uses as tha government nor tha cooncil forebye nivir uses tha Scotch names fur maps ur notices ur sich lik.

Wi oot luckin intil tha thing ower mich this wheen uv names cums tae min. Thirs aye monie mair roon aboot, an gif onie boadie knaws thaim mebbe they’ll sen thaim on.

Ben tha hairt uv tha Laggan is tha wee toons uv Newtoncunningham an Manorcunningham cried after tha Cunninghams uv Castleforward. Fernenst Manor tha Swilly narras a Tha Blanket Neuk. Forebye Newton an Manor Mageestoun fernenst Raphoe an Grahamsland i Castlefin is cried fur weel kent aul fowk.

Meeting House Street ben Raphoe, (thairs anither i Stranorlar), is yin uv tha wee wheen uv tha few Scotch names tae be made official. Its nae haird fur tae hae wrocht oot th’ thae fowk ben tha toonlan uv Blackrepentence oot tha ra wus meetin hoose people, thair th’ wie yit.

Whiles talking aboot meetin hooses thairs a gye big yin a Muff ben tha Knowehead. Jist in case ye dinnae git tha point th’ a knowe bes a brae thairs a ferm ben tha toonlan fernenst mae ain cried tha Browknowe. Thairs a Todds Knowe atween Baloughery an Newtoncunningham. Forebye tha Knowehead thairs a Braeface an a Mossedge a Muff as weel. Abune tha Foyle fernenst mae ain hoose is tha Blek Braes ben tha toonlan uv McClean & Partners Division. Is’nt th’ a gye unromantic name fur a place! Wouldnae hit be nicer fur tae pit Bide a Wee doon as yir address, which ye can dae gif ye lif i tha bit uv Fanad.

Monie fowk wil min tha poem Stumpies Brae i Ullans whiles ago. Tha famous brae is hairdbye Lifford. A Fahan, fernenst tha Burnfoot thairs a yillshap wi a sign sayin “Tha Cyclists Rest”. Thaim wha drinks ben tha bar all cries hit Thran John’s uv Bapsie’s Brae.

This is onie a wee wheen uv tha Ulster-Scotch names wh’ fowk still use ben aist Donegal. Thirs monie mair forebye. Th’ thae young fowk still uses thaim tae describe thair hame kintraside, despite thair schoolin tae crie places wi mair “proper” an “polite” hannles, surely shews tha Scotch is still tha leid uv fowk’s sowls an imaginations.