The streets of Derry and their names - P
Since 1987 the Queen's University at Belfast has been developing the ‘Northern Ireland Place-Name Project’ and compiling an incredible database of names that sometimes date back over a thousand years.
In compiling the Derry city section the compendium draws heavily on John Bryson's seminal 'Derry's Streets'. Other sources, including George Vaughan Sampson's map of Co. Derry of 1814, are also cited.
Some of the meanings suggested in the database are open to interpretation and debate but make for fascinating reading.
Based in Queen’s University, the project works in collaboration with Land and Property Services in the Department of Finance in providing a free online database of our local place-names (www.placenamesni.org. This is accompanied by an interactive searchable map of historical names (townlands, parishes, baronies and counties) which is provided by Land and Property Services.
1. Patrick Street (Sráid Phádraig). Named after St. Patrick (Bryson).
Patrick Street (Sráid Phádraig). Named after St. Patrick (Bryson). Photo: Streetview
2. Pennyburn Court/Pass. (Cúirt/Pas Shruthán na Pingine). Bryson suggests the unlikely derivation from the Welsh Pen y Bryn, perhaps because of the Bingley brothers, pirates active 1601-20. Pen y Bryn means 'Top of the Hill' which does not fit the local topography in any way.
Pennyburn Court/Pass. (Cúirt/Pas Shruthán na Pingine). Bryson suggests the unlikely derivation from the Welsh Pen y Bryn, perhaps because of the Bingley brothers, pirates active 1601-20. Pen y Bryn means 'Top of the Hill' which does not fit the local topography in any way. Photo: archive
3. Petrie Way (Bealach Petrie). Names after George Petrie (1797-1866), landscape artist, archaeologist, Superintendent of the Ordnance Survey Topographical Department (Bryson). The website of An Coimisiún Logainmneacha does not give an Irish form of the name, though those of his colleagues are gaelicised. There are several streets in the Ballynashallog Ward named after people involved in the OS in the 1830s and 1840s when the first 6" series of maps were made. These are Colby Avenue, Drummond Park, Larcom Drive, O'Donovan Road and Petrie Way.
Petrie Way (Bealach Petrie). Names after George Petrie (1797-1866), landscape artist, archaeologist, Superintendent of the Ordnance Survey Topographical Department (Bryson). The website of An Coimisiún Logainmneacha does not give an Irish form of the name, though those of his colleagues are gaelicised. There are several streets in the Ballynashallog Ward named after people involved in the OS in the 1830s and 1840s when the first 6" series of maps were made. These are Colby Avenue, Drummond Park, Larcom Drive, O'Donovan Road and Petrie Way. Photo: Streetview
4. Princes Street/Terrace. (Sráid/Ardán an Phrionsa). The lack of an apostrophe leaves it unclear whether the name refers to one or more princes. It has been assumed to be singular, being more likely in the absence of any positive evidence for the plural.
Princes Street/Terrace. (Sráid/Ardán an Phrionsa). The lack of an apostrophe leaves it unclear whether the name refers to one or more princes. It has been assumed to be singular, being more likely in the absence of any positive evidence for the plural. Photo: Streetview