Bangor Bog, County Down

Origin

Bangor (place-name) + Eng. bog

Background

The small townland of Bangor Bog is totally within in the parish of Bangor, but split between the baronies of Ards Lower and Castlereagh Lower. It seems to be of comparatively recent origin but the bog itself appears to be marked on Raven Map Clandeboy which dates from 1625. The townland takes its name from the town and parish of Bangor, the original Irish name of which is Beannchar. The root word of Beannchar is beann ‘point, spike’ and the place-name appears to refer to the pointed, wattled enclosure around the early monastery here which was founded by St Comgall c. 555AD. Although 'bog' is a word of Irish origin (< bogach 'soft, boggy ground'), there is no evidence that this place-name ever existed in Irish and it may be a late coinage in English.

References

Hannan R. J. (1992): Place-Names of Northern Ireland vol. 2 p. 161

Additional Information

split townland, other portion in barony of Ards Lower; see Bangor town and parish for details of that name.

Historical name form

Old Form	Ref. Date	Reference
Com[m]on Moss of Bangor, The	1625	Raven Map Clandeboye 7 et passim
Great Moss of Bangor, The	1625	Raven Map Clandeboye 5
Bangor Bog	1834c	OSNB: gen. sources

Barony: Castlereagh Lower
Parish: Bangor
Parish in 1851: Bangor
Townland: None
Place name ID: 35060
Place name type: T:X