In the fourth part of our series examining Glasgow’s ancient Gaelic origins through place and street names, we take a look at parts of the city which are well known in the East End and Southside.
Gaelic has been spoken in Glasgow for a millenium with it remaining an important historical source which makes up a key part of the city’s past.
The following is taken from the forthcoming book Glasgow’s Gaelic Place-Names by Dr Alasdair C. Whyte, with Professor Katherine Forsyth and Dr Simon Taylor, set to be published by Birlinn Origin in September/October 2023.
Dr Alasdair C. Whyte is a writer/singer/performer from Muile~Mull. He currently holds a Research Fellowship in Name Studies at the University of Glasgow. He was named Scottish Government Gaelic Ambassador of the Year at the National Mòd in Glasgow in 2019 and was recently named on The Saltire Society’s inaugural ‘40 Under 40’ list.
His first book, Maim-slè, a book of new writing in Gaelic and English about language shift, sustainability and identity, was published in 2021 and shortlisted for the Donald Meek Award for Best Non-Fiction Book at the 2022 Gaelic Literature Awards.
From Dalmarnock to Garscadden here are the next 10 place names in and around Glasgow in our series.
1. Dalmarnock
Found in the East End of the city, it was recorded as Dalmurnech in 1175 and Dalmornoc in 1186. 1186. The first part of the name is the
Gaelic word dail (or a related Northern Brittonic word) meaning ‘a waterside meadow’ or ‘a haugh’. The
second part is less straightforward but may be the name of a saint, Meàrnag, giving the name a meaning
of ‘Saint Meàrnag’s haugh’ (Dail Meàrnaig in Gaelic). This could well be the same saint remembered in
the place-names Kilmarnock and Inchmarnock (both of which are Gaelic names).
2. Drumbottie.
Drumbottie. A place in north-east Glasgow just south of Springburn Park. Recorded as Drumbotie in the
mid 1800s. From the Gaelic words druim and bodach. The Gaelic word druim means ‘a ridge’ in place-
names (it also refers to the spine). The word bodach usually means ‘an old man’ in modern Gaelic but in
older Gaelic and in place-names it can mean ‘a peasant’ or ‘a spectre’.
3. Drumoyne
Drumoyne is part of the former burgh of Govan with the name first being recorded in 1795. It comes from Gaelic Druim Mòna meaning ‘ridge at a peatbog’.
4. Drumry
The name of an old settlement, and later a farm, in what is now Clydebank. Recorded as
Drumry in a document dated 1223. From Gaelic Druim Rìgh meaning ‘king’s ridge’.