New Placenames Commission named by Minister Ó Cuív

Posted on 13/10/09 by Éamon Ó Cuiv The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív TD, announced today, the 12th of October 2009, that he has named a new Placenames Commission. The Commission will be appointed with effect from the 12th of October, 2009 for a three year term. The function of the Placenames Commission is to provide advice in relation to:
(a) specifying for purposes of law forms of placenames in the Irish language, as enacted in Part 5 of the Official Languages Act 2003.
(b) the study of the placenames of Ireland, as defined in section 31 of the Act, in order to determine forms of those names in the Irish language.
(c) preparing placenames orders as enacted in section 32 of the Act
(d) Irish language forms of placenames not included in the Act, namely, streetnames
(e) the publication and official use of forms of placenames in the Irish language.
(f) the development of research and study of placenames in third level and other institutes of education.
(g) promoting, in appropriate ways, the research of the Placenames Branch.
other matters relating to the placenames of Ireland

The primary function of the Placenames Branch is to undertake research in order to establish the correct Irish language forms of the placenames of Ireland and to publish them for official use. The Branch has recommended Irish language forms of administrative placenames up to this point in Limerick, Louth, Waterford, Kilkenny, Offaly, Monaghan, Tipperary, Galway, Dublin, Wexford and in the Gaeltacht areas and research is currently ongoing on the placenames of Cork, Leitrim, Clare and Donegal. The Branch is also currently recommending authoritative Irish language forms of all streetnames to the local authorities, in conjunction with Ordnance Survey Ireland.
Expressing his thanks to the former Commission who served from July 2006, Minister Ó Cuív, TD, made reference to the achievement of the Commission and the staff of the Placenames Branch since then, with ten Placenames Orders drafted by them since the Language Act was enacted (Kilkenny, Louth, Limerick, Monaghan, Waterford, Tipperary, Offaly, the Gaeltacht areas, population agus district centres; and counties and provinces) and said that he understood that four further orders would be prepared by the end of the three year term.
Announcing these appointments, the Minister said:
"I am pleased that people from the former Commission are happy to continue with the very valuable work being undertaken by them. I welcome the new members and I hope that they benefit from their time on the Commission and that they enjoy it.
It is extremely important that we preserve and make use of our old placenames. The Placenames Commission plays a central role in that process and I am looking forward to seeing the results of their work in the future. I wish them well in their work."

Re-appointments

Seosamh Ó Braonáin
(Chair) Translator and broadcaster, presenter of radio programmes on the subject of Placenames.

Dr Nollaig Ó Muraíle
Senior lecturer in Roinn na Gaeilge, National University of Ireland, Galway. Expert on placenames and on Irish genealogy.

Proinsias de Priondargast
Local historian.

An tOllamh Pádraig Ó Riain
Roinn na Meán agus na Sean-Ghaeilge, UCC, Director of LOCUS, database of references to Placenames in literature.

Marcus Ó Floinn
Teacher with a degree in Irish; expert on local placenames.

Dr Úna Uí Bheirn
Editor, Foclóir Stairiúil na Gaeilge, Royal Irish Academy, author on themes relating to dictionaries.

Tomás Ó Cruadhlaoich
Secondary School Principal; An Daingean, Co. Chiarraí

Máire Ní Chiarba
Language Teacher, Former member of- Bord na Gaeilge, Representative for ASTI, very experienced on language matters

An tOllamh Máire Herbert
Roinn an Sean- agus na Meán-Ghaeilge, University College, Cork

Dr. Eithne Ní Ghallchobhair
Oideas Gael and Assistant Editor, Foclóir Stairiúil na Nua-Ghaeilge

Séamus Mac Gairbheith
Secondary school teacher

New appointments:

Dr Úna Bhreathnach
Fiontar, Dublin City University. Has responsibility for www.logainm.ie

An tOllamh Ruairí Ó hUiginn
Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge, University of Ireland, Maynooth. Area: Modern Irish and Old Irish.
He teaches a course on placenames. Former editor, Ainm, A Journal of Name Studies.

Dr. Micheál Ó Mainnín
Roinn na Gaeilge agus an Léinn Cheiltigh, Queen's University, Belfast.
Lecturer, former member of staff of the Northern Ireland Placenames Project. Editor, Ainm, A Journal of Name Studies. Area: Modern Irish, Scots Gaelic, placenames.

Siobhán Ní Laoghaire
Department of Languages, DIT. Area: Linguistics

Dr. Seosamh Ó Ceallaigh Celtic Studies, former secondary school teacher.

Stephanie O Connor Former schoolteacher.

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