Minister of State Thomas Byrne T.D. announced the appointment of Donnchadh Ó Baoill to the new Placenames Committee this week. Minister of State Byrne is responsible for the Irish language and Gaeltacht affairs in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
Donnchadh Ó Baoill has spent most of his working life with Údarás na Gaeltachta in the Donegal Gaeltacht. In addition, he has a keen interest in placenames, environmental issues, and local history. He is active in several community organizations where these themes are central to their work and regularly gives presentations on these subjects.
The main responsibility of the Placenames Committee is to advise the Minister on confirming Irish versions of Irish placenames under the Official Languages Act. The Committee will focus on transforming draft placename orders for several counties into placename orders.
Speaking about the appointment, Minister of State Byrne said: “The country’s placenames are an extremely valuable part of our heritage, deeply rooted in our people’s culture. The new Committee has a crucial role to play, with support from the Placenames Branch staff in my Department, in advising me on the confirmed Irish versions of the State’s placenames.”
The Placenames Committee has a three-year term, and members serve voluntarily. Donnchadh Ó Baoill is a Development Executive with Údarás na Gaeltachta in Doirí Beaga, Co. Donegal, and has expertise in placenames of western Donegal.
The Committee members are:
Chairperson:
• Professor Liam Mac Mathúna: Former Head of School, School of Irish, Celtic Studies, Irish Folklore and Linguistics, University College Dublin; former member of the Placenames Commission; editor of Éigse.
Ordinary members:
• Donnchadh Ó Baoill, MA: Development Executive, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Doirí Beaga, Co. Donegal; expert on placenames of western Donegal.
• Dr Úna Bhreathnach: Editorial Manager/Assistant Professor, Fiontar & School of Irish, Dublin City University (DCU).
• Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig, MA: Former Chief Placenames Officer, Placenames Branch.
• Maura Lynskey, MA: author of An Ghaeilge ar Chomharthaí Stáit.
• Dr Patrick McKay: Worked for years with the Northern Ireland Placenames Project and is the author of the Dictionary of Ulster Placenames; Place-Names of Northern Ireland IV – County Antrim I, The Baronies of Toome, and Lough Neagh Places: Their Names and Origins.
• Máire Feiritéar: Expert on Connemara Irish; guest speaker on RTÉ and Raidió na Gaeltachta programs on Irish language wisdom and placenames.
• Nóilín Nic Bhloscaidh, MA: Language consultant; lecturer at Ulster University; member of the Terminology Committee.
• Dr Aengus Ó Fionnagáin: Head of Irish Studies at the University of Limerick; Vice-President of the Society for Names Studies in Britain and Ireland.
• Caoimhe Ní Shúilleabháin, MA: Former Placenames Officer in the Placenames Branch; Former Acting Head of Unit, Irish Department, Directorate-General for Translation, European Commission; Executive Officer, Kildare with Irish.
• Dr Liam Ó hAisibéil: Assistant Professor of Irish at the University of Galway; Co-author of the Oxford Dictionary of Family Names of Ireland (2021).