But lately on my way into work by train, being bombarded with countless official Ireland announcements telling me that I am headed for town (I didn't know that, right?), I became aware of a change in said recorded announcements.
Broombridge ("Droichead na Scuab") suddenly became "Droichead Broome". A bit like "Marathon" suddenly becoming "Snickers", only at least some people - other than me - noticed that one.
It seems that the lands around Broombridge were once owned by a family by the name of Broome, hence the subsequent Gaelicisation "Brushbridge". Maybe a historical airbrush of the kind Stalin might have hankered after would have been more appropriate?
Perhaps a better name for the locality might be Hamiltonbridge, after the eminent Irish mathematician WR Hamilton made some numbers-based discovery that was very important (and incomprehensible to a simple mind like mine) and is used to this very day by those who create computer games. Hamilton wrote his equation, in a moment of inspiration, on the inside of the bridge that spans the Royal Canal in the locality. Clever fellow. Too clever in a country that would rather rever the WolfeTones, B-B-Bertie and Sinn Fein.
So what's happening here? Is there a specific civil service/semi-state department that makes up new Gaelic words? There must be... and what would we do without them? We'd be lost. To illustrate, make a trip to your local recycling centre if you want a good laugh. What's the ancient Gaelic for "computer"?
So, who suddenly changed the Gaelic name of Broombridge, or Brushbridge? Does it mean we have been taken for fools all these years prior to the change?
I fear some have, and still are.
They are called taxpayers. Fools all year round.
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7 comments:
GM, I think that they just wanted to make a clean sweep of it."A new broom sweeps clean" as they say.
As for the Irish bit, well a language cannot develop because most people do not use it becomes artificial. Like, Baile Átha Cliath, modern Irish, should be Dubh linn, meaning "black pool" derived from the Norse.
Yes John. Dubh Linn wasn't Gaelic enough for them, so they had to go back into the annals of antiquity to dig up BAC.
What would we do without them? Probably be on the way to a normal ration nation GM. One of the many holes down which all, yes ALL, of your hard earned cash goes. But a large proportion, including all the Butch Marys and emasculated Paddys, gives a toss and keeps giving out "spare" cash like a vending machine with Turrets. The more TAX the more nauseous one becomes.
I think I'm becoming some sort of economic libertarian, Dakota.
Just look at the way our tax money has been wasted over the years. The latest being 35 million on a children's hospital that was never going to get past the fuddy duddies of the planning board.
And then there's O'Cuiv's language act, and the waste that generates. I, for one, object to my hard-earned being wasted by these imbeciles - and it matters not a whit which parties are in power - on such nonsense.
Now we're expected to sign up for yet another tax? I don't think so. They can feck off.
"Now we're expected to sign up for yet another tax?" AND ANOTHER, AND ANOTHER, AND ANOTHEEEERRRRR.........
I work right beside here, in Broombridge Business Centre so my office window overlooks this train station! Its in a sorry state at the minute alright but hopefully with the new Luas Broombridge line that will all be behind the place soon. Its an area that definitely needs some regeneration, its in bad need of it. 2017 apparently is the date for completion. Maybe I'll get a window box until then, lol!
Howdy INFLUX. I'll be thinking of you and your window box as I pass by on my way into work. Cheers.
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