Townland
or
Non-Municipal
Town.
The names
of townlands
have
various
origins
but by the
early
nineteenth
century
had, in
general,
been fixed by
the Grand
Juries. In
addition
the Poor
Law
Commissioners
under Act
of 1839
had power
to declare
any place
to be a townland.
When the
Ordnance
Survey
began in
the 1820s
the names
of townlands
were to be
supplied
by Richard
Griffith
of the
boundary
department
(set up in
1824-5 to
determine
the
boundaries
of
parishes
and
townlands
and where
necessary
to mark
out these
boundaries
on the
ground).
Griffith
during his
work
amalgamated
a number
of the
smaller
townlands
while
dividing
the larger
ones. In
the case
of the
latter he
added
'east',
'west',
'upper'.
'lower'
etc. to
the
existing
name. The
names of
these townlands
as finally
settled by
the
Ordnance
Survey
officers
were
included
on
ordnance
survey
maps and
became
together
with the townland
index of
the 1851
census the
legal
version of
the names
of these
places.
Non-municipal
towns are
towns
designated
in the
census of
population
not being
a city or
town
(i.e. not
having a
legally
defined
boundary).
The last
census of
2002
distinguished
between
towns with
legally
defined
boundaries
and those
without
legally
defined
boundaries.
The former
are
5
cities,
5 boroughs
(this
would
include
Drogheda
in County
Louth)
and
75
named
towns
(this
would
include
Dundalk
and Ardee
in County
Louth).
and the
latter
refers to
the other
towns
defined in
the census
as 'a
cluster of
fifty or
more
occupied
dwellings,
not having
a legally
defined
boundary,
in which
within a
distance
of 800
metres
there is a
nucleus of
either
thirty
occupied
houses on
both sides
of the
road or
twenty
occupied
houses on
one side
of the
road.' In
County
Louth
these
latter non
municipal
towns are:
Ardee
Environs;
Baltray;
Carlingford;
Castlebellingham/Kilsaran;
Clogherhead;
Collon;
Drogheda
environs;
Dromiskin;
Dundalk
environs;
Dunleer;
Jenkinstown;
Knockbridge;
Omeath;
Tallanstown;
Termonfeckin;
Tinure;
Tullyallen.
Under
S.190 of
the Local
Government
Act, 2001
the Council of
a city or
county
where townland
or
non-municipal
town
situated
may by
resolution,
adopted by
at least
one-half
of the
members,
make a
proposal
to change
the name.
This
proposal,
after been
notified
to
prescribed
persons
and
published
inviting
submissions
within two
months and
after the
submissions
have been
considered
(reserved
function),
may be
adopted or
amended by
the
Council
provided
at least
one-half
of the
members
again
consent.
Where a
proposal
is
accepted
or amended
the
Council
must then
seek the
consent of
the
majority
of the
qualified
electors
(i.e.
registered
voters and
certain
occupiers
of rated
hereditaments)
in the
non-municipal
town or
townland.
Once the
proposal
is
confirmed
by a
majority
of the
electors
the
Cathaoirleach
(Chairman)
of the
Council
shall
declare
such new
name and
the date
it comes
into
operation
being the
1st
January
next
following
the
expiration
of at
least
three
months
from the
date of
the
declaration.
Each
declaration
must be
published,
including
in Iris
Oifigiuil,
and sent
to
prescribed
persons.
A previous
provision
under an
Act of
1946 as
amended in
1955
required
the County
Council to
apply to
the
Government
to change
the name
after
obtaining
consent of
four-sevenths
of the
ratepayers
of the
non-municipal
town or
townland
and after
consultation
with
prescribed
authorities
Among the
place
names
changed
under
this 1946
provision
were:
'Scrabby'
townland,
in County
Cavan, to
'Loch Gowna'
(1950);
'Newtownbarry'
town, in
County
Wexford,
to
'Bunclody'
(1950);
'King
Williamstown'
town,
in County
Cork, to 'Ballydesmond'
(1951);
'Newtown'
town, in
County
Cork, to 'Newtownshandrum'
(1971);
'Ballycarra'
townland,
in County
Mayo, to 'Belcarra'
(1971);
'Mostrim',
in County
Longford,
to 'Edgeworthstown'
(1974).
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Change of
Placename page
© MP
McConnon,
MC
Research
Service,
Seabank,
Castlebellingham,
Dundalk,
County
Louth,
Ireland.
Last
update 26 June
2004