Official Languages Act 2003 & Placenames

The Official Languages Act 2003 came into force some twenty two years ago. The principal thrust of the legislation is to oblige the state to provide services, documentation and communications through Irish as well as English, that people in particular in Gaeltacht areas could interface with the state through Irish. I think most citizens would agree that this is entirely proper and laudable.

The final short section of this Act deals with placenames. Readers might recall the hullaballoo over Dingle and Daingean Uí Chúis, the Act sensibly proposes that in Gaeltacht regions only Irish placenames should be used, so the name Dingle would have to go in terms of road signs and OSi maps.

For areas outside the Gaeltacht, the Act states that maps by Ordnance Survey Ireland must use placenames in the Irish language or in the English and Irish languages. The definition of a placename is a name that is recorded on OS maps. That’s all.

Somehow or other since then, this relatively modest & reasonable legislation as regards placenames has seen ‘mission creep’. The placename provisions, according to guidance now apply to all public signage, not just OSi maps. It further dictates that the Irish placename must come first and be no less prominent than the English form. And that where a Placenames Order giving official Irish & English forms as approved by the Minister, these forms must be used on public signage.

I do some mapping jobs for public bodies and map artwork was taken to be exempt from this for many years, as it’s not OSi mapping. He who pays the piper calls the tune so of course I comply with the new instructions. But to demonstrate the effects I’ve made up a section of map in compliance for the Dublin Hills. Some notes:

• We can’t argue too much with Barr na Coille, An Baile Breac, Sliabh Chill Mochióg, Tigh an Chnoic and possibly Sliabh Thigh Bródáin.
• I’m not too convinced by Sliabh na Craobhaí (the locals say ‘Crook’ as in Cruach or Cnoc) and Baile Éamainn Duibh.
• I grew up in Dublin and walked the hills. I never heard these following names used at all: Binn Trí Charraig, Binn Dá Charraig, Sruth na gCloch or Baile an Stacaigh. We talked of places called Three Rock and Two Rock etc. Where did this ‘Binn’ notion come from, it’s not even a term much associated with Leinster Irish. Yet these are now THE official names that must take prominent position on any public map sign.
• There’s an abundance of other names on this map whose legal position is unclear, they’re not listed in the Placenames Order for Dublin, some are OS names and some aren’t. Even places like Belarmine & Fairy Castle are in a limbo. In practice, one either has to invent an Irish form for them or omit, delete them – they’re not allowed. I know that sounds ‘mad’ but that’s how it is. IMHO we’re straying into strange territory as regards placenames.

I have to ask if this is seriously what the Irish public as a whole want and how has it come to this pass. I don’t recall any public consultation, it’s the sort of far reaching implementation that requires public buy in and perhaps an advisory public vote.

#eastwestmapping