When you start to explore the history of place names in Glasgow, much of the back story in the city is connected to Gaelic with place names being an important and historical source.
Research has found that the ancient language has been spoken in the city for a millenium with it making up an important part of Glasgow’s fibre.
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.
Here are the first of ten place names in Glasgow explored with their connection to the Gaelic language.
9. Bartiebeith
Bartiebeith Road is just off Edinburgh Road and found in Queenslie. The name of the road comes Gaelic Bàrr Taigh Beithe meaning ‘the hill-top of Taigh Beithe’. Taigh Beithe is also a Gaelic name meaning ‘birch-house’. First recorded in 1518 as ‘Barthibeth’. The Gaelic word taigh meaning ‘a house, a dwelling’ is often used in place-names to refer to inns and public houses. | Google Maps
10. Bellahouston Park
One of Glasgow’s most famous parks, it was recently host to concerts from Muse, Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses with two Popes having also visited the park. The first part of this name is from the Gaelic word bealach meaning ‘a pass, a roadway’. The meaning of Houston is unclear. First recorded in 1598 in the name ‘Ballahawstene-quarter’. In recent times, Gaelic-speakers have reinterpreted this name as Baile Ùisdein meaning ‘Ùisdean’s farm’. The name Ùisdean is usually given in English as ‘Hugh’. | Bellahouston Park