Ulster Place-Name Society Trustees, Report for the financial period I September 2016 - 31 August 2017 Address Irish & C¢Etic Studies Arts. English and Languages 8 University Square Queen's University Belfast. B T7 INN E-mail address townlandg.upns@gmail.com Website: www.ulsterplacename.org TRUSTEES Officer8 Chair: Secretary: Treasurey.. Mlcheai MainnIn Gordon Mccoy Donall Mac Di>naill EI Offi¢io Members: Editor of Ainm.. Gr¢8 Tonei. Institu¢¢ of Irish Studies {Dtrector): Dominic Bryall WLtiI November 2016, theTe&fter P¢ter Gray Plo¢enames Bran¢b, Dublin (Dlrector ): padraig O C¢w'bhaill Ordfinary Conthiittte Members Kay until AGM 17111116; th•raft¢r Donall Baoill Kevin Muway until AGM 17111116. th¢r¢after Ruairl O Bléine Conchubhar O Crnaialoch Angelique Day Pubtic Relations Officer Pat McKay U15ter Place-Name Socletv Registered Charity Charity No. NIC: 103003
Main Activities The objectives of the Lllster Place-Name Society are stated in the constitution: a) to promote th¢ study of, appreciation of, knowledge of and awareness of place- names in the area of beneflt and to publish a series of publications devoted to the field of name studies, including a journal and a bi-annual newsletter. b) to carry out research into place-nani¢s, promote and support the work of a survey of plaoe-names En the area of benefit and to make the results of the survey available via a scries of published volumes and via the internet where appropriate. The so¢Rety published two newsletters during the 2016-2017 financial year as well as the 13th volume ofAinm.' Journal ofName Studies. Over 300 Copies of the issue were published and most were distributed to Society members and interested parties (mostly university librari¢s). The UPNS did not publish anything else by itself during this period. but members wer¢ very active in contributing to irnportant works publish¢d els¢wh¢r¢: Kay Muhr compl¢ted her work as researcher of Irish names for the four-volume OxfordDiclionaiy ofthe FamilyNames ofBritain andlreland. which was published in November 20 16. She then began Working with Liam O hAisibéil on a publication on the family names of ITeland. Pat McKay began work on a jointly-authored book with Niall Comer of Ulster UniveTSlty on the townland names of the Barony of Coleraine. Ile was commissioned by Mid-ulster District Council to supply Erish-language versions of th¢ road names and townLand names of the area. Gordon Mccoy co-ordinated the Society's recommendations regarding the Northern dioccses to the Parish Namcs Piojcct of th¢ Church of Ireland, which aimed to provide an Irish language version of every parish in Ireland. but was hampered by a lack of input from exrtS on place-namcs. Mccoy Icsearchcd th¢ cOndary sources while Pat McKay and Kay Muhr provided many interpretations which were not readily available. By September 12017 the material on the dioceses of Connor, Amlagh, and Down and Dromore was eompletc. Events The society organised two public lectures in Queen's University Belfast. Thomas Clancy of Glasgow UniveTSIty spoke on 'The advent of Gaelic in early Scotland.. what can plac¢-names tell us?, On 17 November 2016. 'The Townland Names of County Wexford, was presented Ib by Conchubhar O Cnmlaoich 25 May 2017 to coincide with his publication of two volumLs on the subject with hts colleague Aindl Mac Giolla Chomh&FhaiU. Both talks offered valuabl¢ insights into the nature of population movements in Britain and Ireland. Clancy's Ulster Place-N4me Soclety Reglstered Charlty Charfty No. NIC.. 103003
pr¢sentation suggested a timing of the Gaelic settlement in Scotland and O Crualaoich's work provided an improved model for mapping Anglo-Nornian settlement in Ireland. Publlc Benefit Members of the Society also made presentations, as listed below. tn particular, many of these illustrat¢ the public benefit aspect of the Society's work. as stated in th¢ constitution.. The organisation plays a useful role in promoting cross-community understanding by providing inforniatton on the historical infiuence of the various indigenous languages of Ulster in a hamionious and non-contentious mamier. Many people from the two main religio-political traditions were present at th¢ following events. Presenter Date Venue Presentation Gordon Mccoy 06.09.16 Portst¢wart Golf Club The Place-Names of Portrush and Portstewart Pat McKay 16.09.16 Coalisland Library The Place-Names of Coalisland, Clonoe and District Kay Muhr 21.10.16 MeElon Centre for Migration Studies The Pla¢e-Names and Family Nam¢s of Tyrone Gordon Mccoy 22.10.16 Downpatrick Library The Place-Nam¢s of Downpatiick Gordon Mccoy 24.10.16 Kilk¢¢l Library The Place-Names of Kilkeel and Beyond Gordon Mccoy (co-presenter with Caoimhln Mac an Fhaill) 05.03.17 Killyleagh Masonic An Introdu¢lion to Irish Plac¢-Names Gordon Mccoy 10.03.17 Castlereagh Council Offic¢5 Irish Place-Nam¢s Gordon Mccoy 16.03.17 East Belfast Gaelic bus tour of East Belfast (which includes much info. on place-names) Ulster Place-Name Society Registered Charity Charity No. NIC: 103003
Kay Muhr 15.06.17 Oxford Island Visitor Centre Navan Centrc, Lou8h Neagh Place- Names Einhain Macha in ¢nd and literature Gaelic bus tour MI¢heai Mainnln 23.06.17 Gordon Mccoy 09.08.17 East Belfast Gordon Mccoy 10.08.17 East Belfast Gaclic bus tour Gordon Mccoy 18.09.17 Short Strand Community Centre Gaeli¢ East Belfast In addition Gordon Mccoy published a map of East Belfast townlands (and rivers) which can be VRewed at hiips.'//www.dropbox.Gom/J/986yy18189jx8r8/EASIYo20BEILfASP/o20MAP%20FINALjpgPd l-o. On¢ thOuSd copies were produc¢d and distiibuted for fr¢e in the local arca. Pat McKay was interviewed for the BBC2 8¢ri¢s Ulaidhfaoi Thalamh ('Underground UIster) which looked at a5CtS of our hidden heritage. Metnb¢rs of th¢ public were nde aware of the Society's activities through the UPNS website, www.placenamey.org (now www.placename.org). Membership The Society has 53 members at the time of its AGM in 17th November 2016. The majority of members wer¢ individuals living in North¢rn Ireland, although there were memb¢rs in Finland, Denmark and Australia. Three organisations had corporate mcmbership of th¢ Society. Members received a copy of the b1-allnl newsletter and Ainm.. A Jouinal ofName Sthdies as soon as they were publish¢d. M¢mb¢rs contactable by ¢mail also rec¢iv¢d news of evenls which We of interest to them. Relationship with other Organisations The society is a m¢mb¢r of thc F¢d¢ration for Ulster Local Studies (FULS). This is a valuable relationship. as FULS promotes UPNS evenls and provides UPNS with details of events wht¢h may be of interest to our m¢mb¢rs. FULS aIso makes the UPNS aware of l¢gislation and ev¢nts related to charities and voluntary organisations in Northem treland. The UPNS has a close relationship with the North¢m Ireland Place-Name Project (NIPNP), the professional body established in Qu¢¢n's University, Belfast. The director of the NIPNP, Mlcheai O Mainn£n, who is heavily involv¢d in expanding the organisation's townland research, is also the chair of th¢ UPNS. The website of the UPNS www.ulslerplacename.org carries the results of the NIPNP Street and Road Nam¢ Project, which provided loGal Ulster Place-Name Society Registered Charity Charity No. NIC: 103003
authorities with Irish language versions of street and road names. The chaÉr of the UPNS is also a member of An Coist¢ Logainmneacha ('The Place-names Conunittee.). the body established by the Department of Culture, Heritage and th¢ Gaeltacht to advise the minister on place-naines policy. This report was presented lo and approved by the membership at the AGM. Ulster Pla¢e-Name Sc¢lety Reglstered Charity Charity No. NIC.. 103003
This report was presented to and approved by the membership at the Special Committee meeting of 8 March 2019. Signed Mlcheai O Mainnln (Chair) Date: a&AA Gordon Mccoy (S¢cr¢tary) Dat¢.. 8/5/11 Donall Mac Donaill (Treasurer) Date.. O Di rA-(• rljljt Ulster Place-Name Society Registered Charlty Charlty No. NIC: 103003