Irish Place and Street Names |
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Abbey Street, Dublin This street was named Abbey Street because it lay beside the medieval St Mary's Abbey.
Adelaide Road, Dublin Named after Queen Adelaide - wife of William IV
Andrew's Lane, Dublin Gets its name from St Andrew's Church which was the Chapel for the Irish Parliament.
St Andrew's Street, Dublin As above St.Andrew's Lane, got its name from the church of St Andrew, which was here from medieval times.
Amiens Street, Dublin It was originally known as The Strand. Named after Viscount Amiens, First Earl of Aldborough whose family home was nearby. . Anglesea Street, Dublin Anglesea Street commemorates another prominent resident of the area, Arthur Annesley, created Earl of Anglesea in 1661. This Earl was great-grandfather of James Annesley, the principal figure in the famous Anglesea peerage case who died in 1760
Ardee Street, Dublin Named after Baron of Ardee, later Earl of Meath., Sir Arthur Brabazon, Surrounding streets - Earl St North, Meath Street and Brabazon Street are also named after him.
Arnott Street, Dublin Named after Sir John Arnott who developed the area with James Lombard after whom a street is also named
Asdill's Row, Dublin Asdill's Row is stated to have taken its name from a wealthy merchant, John Asdill.
Aungier Street, Dublin Aungier Street was built on an area of land that traditionally had not been built on. In old maps before the stree was built you can see the other streets curving around the area. The Aungier family aquired this land which had belonged to a Carmelite Monastery .
Aughrim Street, Dublin Was originally part of Blackhorse Lane due to its proximity to the barracks. It was renamed to celebrate the centenary of the Battle of Aughrim which took place in 1691.
Bachelor's Walk, Dublin The Quays were extended in the 1670s and this area was developed by a property developer. Bachelor's Walk is named for him.
Baggot Street, Dublin Baggot Rath castle stood at what is now the junction of Wateloo Road and Baggot Street. Baggot Street is named after Lord Bagod ,Robert, who was given the Manor of Rath in the 13th century.
Benburb Street, Dublin Originally Barrack Street. Named after the battle in County Armagh of 1646.
Beresford Place, Dublin The Rt. Hon. John Beresford, was head of the Wide Streets Commissioners and was responsible for bringing James Gandon to Ireland. Gandon designed the Custom House which Beresford Place encloses as well as the terrace of five houses.
Bolton Street, Dublin This street was named in 1724 after Lord Lieutenant Charles Powlett who was the Earl of Bolton . Brabazon Street, Dublin Originally known as Cuckold's Row. Named after Sir Arthur Brabazon, Baron of Ardee, later Earl of Meath.
Bride Street, Dublin This is named after St Bride's Church (which was a pre-Viking foundation). It was demolished as part of the Iveagh Trust Scheme in the late 1800s.
Capel Street , Dublin Lord Essex was Lord Lieutenant of 1672-77. This is named after his family.
Carlow Carlow: Irish ceatharlach: quadruple lake
Castle Street, Dublin Before the construction of Lord Edward Street this was the main street to Dublin Castle
Cathal Brugha Street Originally Gregg Lane .Later named after a signatory of the 1916 Rising
Cavan Cavan: Irish an cabhán: hollow
Cecelia Street, Dublin The Fownes family developed Cope and Fownes Street. Cecelia was a family member
Chancery Street, Dublin Chancery Courts was traditionally one of the four courts - and it lies behind what is now called the Four Courts.
Christ Church Place, Dublin This was named Skinners Row as it was the centre of the leather industry in Medieval times. The local high Street was also part of this industry. Christ Church Place was later renamed after the Cathedral nearby.
Cork Cork: from Irish corcach: swamp
CountyClare Clare: Irish an clár: plain
Clare Streett , Dublin Named after the Earl of Clare,Denzille Holles .
Clarence Street , Dublin Named after the Duke of Clarence.
Clarendon Street Named after another Wide Streets Commissioner the Earl of Clarendon .
College Green , Dublin It was renamed College Green after Trinity College founded by Queen Elizabeth I in the 1600s.Originally it was known as Hoggen Green (which comes from the Scandinavian word for mound. ) It was near the Thingmote which was the Viking assembly place.
College Street, Dublin Named due to its proximity to Trinity College.
Constitution Hill, Dublin Originally was Glasmunogue. Renamed due to its proximity to the Kings Inns Law Society.
Cope Street, Dublin The Fownes family owned land in this area, and Cope was a member of the family.
Cork Hill, Dublin The City Hall is built on the site of Cork House, which had been the home of the Earl of Cork.
Cork Street, Dublin Named after the Earl of Cork, see above.
Cornmarket, Dublin It was the site of the corn and grain market during medieval times.
Crampton Court, Dublin The Cramptons were major landowners in the Temple Bar area. Crampton Court was named for the Lord Mayor of 1758.
Crampton Quay, Dublin Crampton Quay and Court are named after Philip Crampton, a wealthy bookseller and Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1758.
Crane Lane
Crowe Street, Dublin Crow Street is named after William Crow, owner of the site of the suppressed monastery of St Augustine in the late sixteenth century. The Dublin Philosophical Society, the Irish counterpart of the Royal Society of London, and with which were associated Sir William Petty, William Molyneux and other illustrious figures, met in 1684 at the building in Crow Street known as the 'Crow's Nest'.
Crown Alley , Dublin Crown Alley derived its name from a tavern with the sign of the crown.
Dame Street , Dublin Dame Street derives its name from Dame's Gate, the eastern gate of the city adjoining the Church of St Mary del Dame.
Dawson Street, Dublin This was named after Harry Dawson who laid out Dawson, Grafton, Anne and Harry Streets in the area.
Dean Street, Dublin Originally was Cross Poddle. The Street is near St Patrick's Cathedral, and was part of the Cathedral's Liberty.
Denzille Lane, Dublin Named after the Earl of Clare,Denzille Holles .
D'Olier Street , Dublin Named after city Sheriff in 1788, Jeremiah D'Olier.
Dominick Street, Dublin This was developed by the Dominick family.
Donegal Donegal: Irish Dun na nGall: fort of foreigners (probably Danes)
Dorset Street Originally this was Drumcondra Lane until the area was built up by the Gardiners.
Dublin Dublin: Irish dubh: black, linn: pool, referring to the Liffey estuary
Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin Named after John Scott, Baron Earlsfort, later Earl of Clonmell
Earl Street, Dublin Developed by Henry Moore, Earl of Drogheda who named many of the Streets about after himself , Henry Street, Moore Street, Earl Street, Of Lane (now Off lane), and Drogheda Street.
Eden Quay, Dublin William Eden, a former Chief Secretary to Ireland, had helped John Beresford to plan and improve Dublin. He had asked if their plans succeeded for a Street or Square to be named after him.
Ely Place, Dublin The first house built in this area was developed by Gustavus Hume and was leased to Henry Loftus, Viscount of Ely later Earl of Ely
Ellis Quay Named after the Viscounts of Clifden, the Agar Ellis family.
Essex Gate, Dublin This is named after the Earl of Essex who was a member of the Capel family and was Viceroy for a period. It was also a gate into the medieval city.
Essex Street, Dublin
Originally was Orange Street and earlier was Smock Alley, later named
after the Viceroy Earl of Essex,Arthur Capel, who was Irish Lord Lieutenant
from 1672-7, and who significantly was acquainted with members of the Temple
family.
Eustace Street, Dublin Eustace Street was named after Sir Maurice Eustace, Speaker of the House of Commons and Lord Chancellor, who died in 1665 and whose house and gardens stood on the site of this street.
Exchange Street, Dublin Was Chequer Street previously.Exchange Street Upper and Lower were named due to the fact that they led on to the Royal Exchange, now the City Hall, and were formerly known as Blind Quay Upper and Lower
Exchequer Street, Dublin The Royal Exchequer was based here in the middle ages.
Fleet Street, Dublin Fleet Street in London was named after the river Fleet, and as there is no such river in Dublin, the naming of Fleet Street here was just plain imitation or it may refer to fleets of ships coming up the river to moor here.Originally this marked the edge of the south bank of the Liffey along with Temple Bar.
Fishamble Street, Dublin This was the main area for fish processing in medieval Dublin.
Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin The Fitzwilliam family developed this land as part of their great estate on the southside of the Liffey.
Fosters Place, Dublin Foster Place commemorates John Foster, Speaker of the Irish House of Common when the Irish Parliament was abolished in 1800, and of course the adjacent Bank of Ireland building was formerly the Parliament House.
Fownes Street, Dublin Fownes Street Upper and Lower take their names from Sir William Fownes, Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1708.
Francis Street, Dublin This Street got its name from the mendicant friary of St Francis which was originally known as St Francis Street and beside which the Street itself now lies.
Galway Galway: Irish gailimh: stony river
Gardiner Street, Dublin At one time the Gardiners owned 25 percent of the city within the canals. Luke Gardiner, who as head of the Gardiner Estate was responsible for laying out much of this part of Dublin. The Street is named after him.
Grafton Street, Dublin The Dawson Family develpoed Grafton Street and named it after the Earls of Grafton who owned land in this area.
Harcourt Street, Dublin Named after Lord Harcourt, a former Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
Harold's Cross, Dublin Harold's Cross got it's name because a tribe called the Harolds lived in the Wickow Mountains and the Archbiship of Dublin would not let them come any nearer to the city than that point.
Harry Street, Dublin Named after Harry Dawson who developed the area.
Harrington Street, Dublin, Named after a former Lord Mayor of Dublin.
Hatch Street, Dublin The Leeson family owned this area but they let sites to John Hatch, after whom the street is named, in 1759.
Henrietta Street, Dublin This street was developed by Luke Gardiner and was named after Henrietta, Duchess of Grafton.
Henry Street, Dublin Developed by Henry Moore, Earl of Drogheda who named a lot of the Streets in the area after himself ; Henry Street, Moore Street, Earl Street, Of Lane (now Off lane), and Drogheda Street.
Heytesbury Street , Dublin Named after the 1st Earl of Heytesbury
Holles Street, Dublin Named after Denzille Holles who was Earl of Clare
Hume Street, Dublin Gustavus Hume who had been a surgeon but became a developer laid out both Hume Street and Ely Place.
Inns Quay, Dublin The Kings Inns which occupied a site here since its foundation in 1561 gave its name to this Quay.
James Gate, Dublin This is now best known as the home of the Guinness Brewery. In the past there was a city gate here and also it is close to St.James Church both combined to give it its name.
Jervis Street, Dublin Sir Humphrey Jervis, Dublin Lord Mayor and business man bought much of the estate and laid out the area around St Mary's Abbey . Kerry Kerry: Irish ciarraí: people of Ciar
Kevin Street Garda Station Kevin Street Garda Station was once the Palace of the Archbishop of Dublin.
Kildare Kildare: Irish cill: convent, dara: oak
Kildare Street, Dublin Named after the Fitzgeralds, Earls of Kildare and Leinster who built Leinster House as their townhouse in 1745.
Kilkenny Kilkenny: Irish for church of Cainneach Laoighis Laoighis: from ethnic name, tribe of Laeight
Leeson Street, Dublin It was renamed in 1728 after the Leesons, Earls of Milltown, who were a brewing family. Originally it was known as Suesey Street
Leinster Street, Dublin Named due to its proximity to the Leinster House of the Fitzgerald family, Earls of Kildare and Leinster. Leinster House in Dublin was originally built as a private home for the Duke of Leinster. At that time, the most fashionable part of Dublin was the North Side and he was asked why he was building on the South Side. He said "Where I go, fashion follows me" .....and to this day the most fashionable part of Dublin is the South Side.
Leitrim Leitrim: Irish liatroim: gray ridge
Leopardstown Leopardstown was once known as Leperstown.
Limerick Limerick: Irish luimneach: barren land
Little Ship Street, Dublin Originally known as Pole or Poole Street because of the nearby pool behind the castle. This pool was the 'dubh linn' from which the city derives its name.
Lombard Street West, Dublin Named after James Lombard who helped develop the area.
Longford Longford: fortified place
Louth Louth: after River Lud
Marlborough Street, Dublin Named after the Duke of Marlborough for his victories in the wars of spanish Succession.
Mayo Mayo: Irish maigh eo: plain of the yews
Meath Meath: Irish an mhí: the middle
Meeting House Lane, Dublin So named because of the many religious establishments that were based here in the 17th century.
Merrion Square, Dublin Developed by the Fitzwilliam Estate and named Merrion because ancestors of the Fitzwilliams lived in Merrion.
Merrion Street, Dublin Developed by the Fitzwilliam Estate and named Merrion because ancestors of the Fitzwilliams lived in Merrion.
Molesworth Street, Dublin This was originally known as Molesworth Fields and named after Viscount Molesworth who laid it out removing several houses on Dawson Street so they would intersect.
Monaghan Monaghan: Irish muineachán: place of the shrubs
Montgomery Street , Dublin Named after Elizabeth Montgomery, wife of Luke Gardiner. Montgomery Street was once the biggest red-light district in Europe with an estimated 1600 prostitutes. It was known locally as the "Monto" and this is the origin of the song "Take me up to Monto"
Moore Street, Dublin Now known for its fruit and vegetable market. Developed by Henry Moore, Earl of Drogheda who named a lot of the Streets in the area after himself ; Henry Street, Moore Street, Earl Street, Of Lane (now Off lane), and Drogheda Street.
Mountjoy Square, Dublin This was named after Luke Gardiner, the first Viscount Mountjoy (Earls of Blessington) who developed the square. He was the grandson of the Luke Gardiner who built Henrietta Street.
Nassau Street, Dublin Renamed in the 1700s after the Royal House of Nassau.Originally it was known as St Patrick's Well Lane.
O'Connell Street, Dublin In the 19th Century this was known as Sackville Street after a Lord Lieutenant and after independence was renamed O'Connell Street after the Liberator Daniel O'Connell. Originally developed by the Earls of Drogheda and known as Drogheda Street. The area was bought by the Gardiner Estate and extended to the river. At one time it was the widest street in Europe.
Offaly Offaly: Irish uíbh Fhailí: Failghe's people
Of Lane, Dublin Fomerly known as Off Lane, it was developed by Henry Moore, Earl of Drogheda who named a lot of the Streets in the area after himself ; Henry Street, Moore Street, Earl Street, Of Lane (now Off lane), and Drogheda Street.He didn't like to see the 'of' from his name left out so when he was naming a small lane (off O'Connell Street) he called it "Of Lane"
Ormond Quay, Dublin This is named after the Viceroy , the Duke of Ormond who insisted that the houses built on the north bank of the Liffey faced the river, Ormond Quay was developed by Sir Humphrey Jervis under a lease of 1674.
Parliament Street, Dublin Parliament Street owes its name to the fact that it was built with the aid of a grant of the Irish Parliament in 1757. This was the first development of the board of Wide Streets Commissioners which was created by an Act of Parliament specifically to develop this thoroughfare. The street completes the north-south axis of Capel Street with the vista being terminated by City Hall.
Parnell Street , Dublin Renamed after the Irish statesman - Charles Stewart Parnell. It had originally be known as Great Britain Street -
Parnell Square, Dublin Originally called Rutland Square which referred to the park in the centre. The surrounding streets were known as Charlemont Row, Cavendish Row and Palace Row and Great Britain Street.
Parkgate Street , Dublin So named because of the main city side entrance to the Phoenix Park, hence Park Gate.
Patrick Street, Dublin Named after St Patrick's Cathedral, started in 1191. The cathedral was built on the site of an earlier site that was believed to have been started by Saint Patrick.
Pearse Street, Dublin Originally known as Moss Lane, then Great Brunswick Street, and later Pearse Street after Padraig Pearse, leader of the 1916 Easter Rising.
Pembroke Street , Dublin Part of the Fitzwilliam Estate which was subsequently inherited by the Earls of Pembroke.
Prussia Street , Dublin Named after Frederick the Great of Prussia.
Roscommon Roscommon: Irish ros Comáin: grove of Comán
Ship Street, Dublin This is a bastardisation of the medieval name of Sheep Street.
Sean McDermott Street , Dublin Named one of the signatories of the Proclamation of Independence of 1916. Originally known as Gloucester Street and earlier Great Martin's Lane .
Sir John Rogerson Quay, Dublin This is named after the property developer who built the quay wall, reclaiming the former mud flats and slob lands behind it.
Sligo Sligo: after River Shelly
South Anne Street, Dublin Developed by Harry Dawson along with Dawson, Harry, and Grafton Streets.
South Cumberland Street, Dublin Originally a country lane, there were buildings on Cumberland Street and nearby Boyne Street from the 17th Century. Named after the Duke of Cumberland.
Suffolk Street, Dublin This was the site of the Viking assembly mound or Thingmote.
St Patrick's Close, Dublin Next to St Patrick's Cathedral, the Close contains the various ancillary buildings connected to the Cathedral including the Choir School which has operated from the 1400s, the Dean's Residence and Marshes Library. Originally the Close would have contained many more residences for the clergy.
St. Stephen's Green, Dublin Originally the four malls have differnat names - North was Beaux Walk, South was Leeson's Walk, East was Monk's Walk, West was French Walk.
Sycamore Street, Dublin Sycamore Street, formerly Sycamore Alley, possibly referred to the species of tree or more probably to a tavern bearing the name.
Tallaght Tallaght is one of the oldest placenames in Ireland and it means "The Plague Cemetery"
Temple Bar, Dublin Most sources agree that Dublin's Temple Bar was named after the Temple family, and specifically after Sir William Temple, whose house and gardens were located there in the early seventeenth century. The official Temple Bar Guide goes one better by adding that 'a bar was the name for a walkway by a river, so the path used by the Temple family became known as the Temple Bar'. An alternative view is that The Temple Bar area is so called because it housed the first Jewish temple built in Ireland. The word 'bar' refers to the refusal of Catholics to allow the Jewish community to enter any of the adjoining commercial premises.
Tipperary Tipperary: Irish tipper: spring or well, and Ara, the name of a river
Townsend Street, Dublin This was originally known as Lazers Hill but was renamed after the Lord Lieutenant and General Governor of Ireland, Viscount George Townsend, in the eighteenth century.
Thomas Street, Dublin Named after the nearby medicant Augustinian Friary of St Thomas à Beckett. Originally it was St Thomas Street but the prefix has been dropped.
Trinity Street, Dublin At one time there was a Halls of Residence for Trinity College on this Street, hence Trinity Street.
Ulster Ulster: Irish uladh: cairn, tomb, and a suffix -ster for land
Usher's Island, Dublin This name comes from John Ussher who leased this former island from the corporation in 1597.
Usher's Quay, Dublin This is also named after the Ussher family whose home was sited nearby.
Waterford Waterford: inlet of water
Wellington Quay, Dublin Wellington Quay of course commemorates the great Duke of Wellington, victor at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The old Custom House and Custom House Quay were sited at the western end of Wellington Quay.
Werburgh Street, Dublin Named after the medieval church of St Werburgh's.
Westland Row, Dublin Originally known as Westlands after William Westland who owned the property in the area.
Westmeath Westmeath: Irish an iarmhí: middle west
Whitefriar Street, Dublin So named because of the Carmelite Monastery which has been here since the 1200s.
William Street, Dublin Named after the developer of the street, William Williams, and the monarch of the time.
Winetavern Street , Dublin This street was mainly populated by taverns and drinking establishments. Handel's Messiah was first performed in the music hall on this street, now the site of Keenan's workshops.
Wood Quay, Dublin Originally the street was built on wooden piles, driven into the river bed from which its derives its name. It is also the site of a former Viking city.
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