ROAD SIGNS WILL be updated to reflect the proper Irish name for Dublin’s newest town, Dublin City Council has confirmed.

Signposts for the Ballyboggan Road, located near Glasnevin, will be changed after plans to develop a new town in the area, announced this week, contradicted the Irish translations on the signs.

The development plans feature the Irish version of the name ‘Baile Bogáin’, but pre-existing road signs for the Ballyboggan Road read ‘Bóthar Bhaile Uí Bhogáin’ and ‘Bóthar Bhaile Í Bhogáin (sic.)’.

Ballyboggan’s name comes from the existing townland, which currently is home to the Dublin Industrial Estate. According to Logainm, the national placenames database, the Irish name for the area is Baile Bogáin.

The road signs for the pre-existing Ballyboggan Road include incorrect versions of the Irish name.

Though the difference appears small, Baile Uí Bhogáin means the town of Boggan – referring to the surname – while Baile Bogáin means the town of the marshy, soft land.

In the pejorative meaning of the word ‘bogán’, the name can also mean the town of softies, weakness or boring people.

Asked about the contradiction a spokesperson clarified that Baile Bogáin refers to the “working title” of the planning documents, not the name of a new town.

They added, however: “An tOifigeach Forbartha Gaeilge thanks you for your interest in this matter and can confirm that Baile Bogáin is the correct nomenclature.

The road signs will be updated accordingly to reflect this.”

A consultation period is open until 4.30pm on 12 May, when Dublin City Council will consider observations on the plan from the public.

Notably, Ballyboggan will be serviced by Broombridge train and luas stations – which has had its own ups and downs with the Irish language in the past.

The station was once referred to as ‘Droichead na Scuab’ – meaning Brush Bridge – but Irish Rail changed the name once it was alerted to the fact that Broombridge gets its name from a Broom Bridge, named after former resident William Broome.

The real Droichead na Scuab is located in Co Cork and – maybe, somewhat cheekily – is the Irish for the town ‘Lady’s Bridge’, just outside Midleton.