What's in a Name? A Dublin Place-Name Quiz

A light-hearted Dublin place-name quiz in which each cryptic clue, from Church Reptile to Taxi Lingerie, hides the name of a suburb or district.

How the quiz works

Each clue is a pun on the sound or spelling of a place name rather than on its real meaning. The first is solved for you: a church is a chapel and a reptile is a lizard, which gives Chapelizod. Some clues lean on English wordplay, others on a smattering of Irish, as the introduction below warns. Fág an bealach, for instance, is Irish for “clear the way”, a phrase long used as a battle cry. Say each clue aloud, think of the place name in syllables, and the answer usually follows.

The real meanings behind Dublin names

The quiz is a joke, but Dublin place names do carry genuine history. Most districts take their names from Irish, sometimes filtered through Norse or Anglo-Norman speech before reaching their modern spelling. A few common elements help: cill (church) appears in Kilmainham, Killester and Killiney; ráth (ringfort) in Rathmines, Rathfarnham and Rathcoole; cnoc (hill) in Knocklyon; glas (stream) in Finglas and Glasthule; and baile (homestead or town) in names such as Ballyfermot. Crumlin comes from Cromghlinn, the crooked glen, and Lucan from Leamhcán, a place of elms. Dublin itself is named from Dubhlinn, the black pool, while the city’s Irish name, Baile Átha Cliath, means the town of the hurdle ford.

For the history behind the names, see F. Elrington Ball’s parish chapters on Chapelizod, Crumlin and Stillorgan, C. T. M’Cready’s Dublin Street Names, Dated and Explained, and the guide to finding history by Dublin area. The answers are listed at the foot of this page and on a separate answers page.

What’s in a name.

This one has been around for a long time but I’ve done some interfering. Work out the clue and find the Dublin area - a basic knowledge of Irish may be required. You’ll need to print it out or just write the answers on a sheet of paper, Click Here or at the bottom for the answers

CHURCH REPTILE CHAPELIZOD

SEA CREATURE STOREHOUSE

VERY DARK BOULDER

NEARLY A SHEEP

A GRAVELLY PASTE

FAG AN BEALACH

GET RID OF THIS WOMAN

SINGLE MEN DON’T RUN

BIG CAT’S PLACE

PROFESSOR, GIVE OVER

MR. SECOMBE IS ANGRY

HEAT’S OFF THE EXPLOSIVE DEVICE

NEARLY FALLING APART

HONEST OPINION

DUELLING WEAPON

STORMY RETREAT

BEAST IN STONE

DISPARAGE THE JUNGLE KING

ASSASSINATE THE ACTOR

A RODENT BEFORE THE PITS

A FISHY DRINKING VESSEL

AN ELUSIVE PEER

MOTIONLESS MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

TAXI LINGERIE

VERY FRAGILE IMPLEMENT

Answers

Church reptile: Chapelizod
Sea creature storehouse: Dolphin’s Barn
Very dark boulder: Blackrock
Nearly a sheep: Marino
A gravelly paste: Stoneybatter
Fág an bealach: Stepaside
Get rid of this woman: Killester
Single men don’t run: Bachelor’s Walk
Big cat’s place: Leopardstown
Professor, give over: Donabate
Mr. Secombe is angry: Harold’s Cross
Heat’s off the explosive device: Coolmine
Nearly falling apart: Crumlin
Honest opinion: Fairview
Duelling weapon: Swords
Stormy retreat: Windy Arbour
Beast in stone: Foxrock
Disparage the jungle king: Knocklyon
Assassinate the actor: Kilmainham
A rodent before the pits: Rathmines
A fishy drinking vessel: Finglas
An elusive peer: Lucan
Motionless musical instrument: Stillorgan
Taxi lingerie: Cabra
Very fragile implement: Glasthule