Bagenalstown or Muine Bheag

Judgement Day

Well which is it? I have never met anybody who called the town anything other than Bagenalstown. Is it just anothe CIE'ism? Like calling Navan 'An Uaimh' or calling Charleville 'Rathluric' even after the locals voted to change it to Charleville. Then CIE compromised and put up new signs translating Rathluirc to An Rath!!! Or how about 'Mostrim' which everybody but CIE calls Edgeworthstown? So which is it please - anybody?

slimjimmc

I think Muine bheag is the formal official name, if memory serves me correctly thats the name used on the town signs entering the town. I've heard both names used, but in Carlow it is more commonly referred to as Bagenalstown.

road_high

Muine Beag is the official name indeed. But we locals call it Bagenalstown, and anybody from the south east calls it such.
I think it was an early republican attempt to erase all traces of British artiscrocy from Ireland. Bunclody used to be Newtownbarry, Portlaoise was Maryborough. There are other examples I think around the country too.

stick-dan

I'll agree with mfitzy, to those of us who are there most of the time it is affectionately known as Bagenalstown. To more corporate people like bus eireann, iarnroid eireann etc, it is known as Mhuine Beag, This is because as said it is the official name of the town although the colocial language suggests bagenalstown would be it's official name. I think a more appropriate topic on this would be how many can properly spell Bagenalstown? I know very few people who can.

DO'Carlo/Wex

As per all/most of other posters, I'd refer to it as Bagenalstown.
Muine Bheag is a CIE Term alright. Pity the uninformed tourist who goes to ticket machine in Heuston to buy a ticket to Bagenalstown & presses "B".

As an aside & slightly off-topic, IF Bagenalstown is named after Lord Bagenal himself (whoever he was & whatever he done), why come the Lord Bagenal is in Leighlinbridge?

Scallion 'ater

I recall being told once that there was a local plebicite in the early 70's in which the locals were invited to vote to determine once and for all what to call the town. Hoever not enough people voted for it to be deemed a valid poll. Anyone know more about this or indeed if it is true at all?

road_high

Scallion 'ater wrote: »

I recall being told once that there was a local plebicite in the early 70's in which the locals were invited to vote to determine once and for all what to call the town. Hoever not enough people voted for it to be deemed a valid poll. Anyone know more about this or indeed if it is true at all?

No never heard that. Sounds like the Dingle/Daingean debate though.
Always Bagenalstown to me, always will be

Super-Rush

I only ever heard it called 'The Town' :pac::pac::pac:

But seriously.

I haven't heard anyone call Edgewardstown Mostrim in donkeys years including CIE. Just up the road from it is Dromod which used to be called Jamestown. Do we only change the names of towns and villages here in Ireland?

AlanSparrowhawk

was going by there today and just thinking the same thing

testicle

I heard wheresmejumpa refer to it as Muine Beag once.

JupiterKid

super-rush wrote: »

Just up the road from it is Dromod which used to be called Jamestown. Do we only change the names of towns and villages here in Ireland?

This is not true. Jamestown is still Jamestown and Dromod was always called Dromod. They are two completely seperate villages.


There are lots of places in Ireland like this - only Cobh, Portlaoise and Dun Laoghaire were successful re-namings. Until recently I think Newbridge was still officially called Droichead Nua and Kells was Ceananus Mor.

wheres me jumpa

testicle wrote: »

I heard wheresmejumpa refer to it as Muine Beag once.

There was probably a few gracious words either side of that sentence.

I'm from the area and people call that town a lot of things but never call it Muine Bheag. If its called Bagenalstown or Muine Bheag, are any more people going to get off the train on their way to Waterford or Dublin? Are any more people going to exit off the N7 on their way to Dublin/Wateford/Kilkenny/Carlow? I'm pretty sure I wont suddenly become disorientated when I'm driving into that town and the sign says "Muine Bheag". Maybe its just me but I always work on the assumption that a town will be in the exact place I last found it in.

But hey, its debates like this that keep our local councillors looking busy:

http://www.carlow-nationalist.ie/tabId/511/itemId/4782/Sting-from-dying-wasp-upsets-council-chairman.aspx

Judgement Day

Jaysus is any wonder the country is bollixed - baldy git - but typical of the species! Thanks for your input to the Muine Bheag/Bagenalstown thread.

Dboy85

Its Muinebheag. We refer to it as Bagenalstown cos most people think muinebheag is german for "whale's vagina"...its still a camp whatever you call it:pac:

foggy_lad

muine beag does roll nicely off the tongue and the beag part reminds all inhabitants of the town they are only small compared to the mighty carlovians!

Loveless

wheres me jumpa wrote: »

Are any more people going to exit off the N7 on their way to Dublin/Wateford/Kilkenny/Carlow? I'm pretty sure I wont suddenly become disorientated when I'm driving into that town and the sign says "Muine Bheag". Maybe its just me but I always work on the assumption that a town will be in the exact place I last found it in.

I remember when I was going to school in the De La Salle one of the teachers told us a story of the time they received their first job posting in Carlow. they drove down and spent ages looking for this town of 'Muine Bheag' where the job was. :pac:

G3-Nut

Dboy85 wrote: »

Its Muinebheag. We refer to it as Bagenalstown cos most people think muinebheag is german for "whale's vagina"...its still a camp whatever you call it:pac:

Shut up brown ya fat c**t:D

The Town, is the best town in this country, if not europe:rolleyes:

Judgement Day

Does this rate as a Zombie thread?

tommycahir

This is indeed a zombie thread, Please do not drag up threads that are over well 1 year old,
Thread locked

Regards
Tommy