Moneymore in Northern Ireland has nothing to do with money:
it means Big Bog. But Richhill was named by Scottish
Presbyterian 'planters' who, replacing expelled Catholics,
couldn't believe their luck. Similarly here in south-west France
there is a place called Good Fortune (Fortounas),
and one called Paradis. Today I passed by Camelot.
In my village there is a Chemin de Paradis
which leads up to sweet air where the rich folk used to live,
and a Chemin de Lifernet which leads down to the bottom of the glen:
L'Infernet, or Little Hell. I live at the top of the Rue de Lifernet,
near the defensive castle built for aggressive gentlemen.
Sunday 20 March 2022
Place-names are fun.
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1 comment:
The 'planting' of loyal colonists also occurred in New England and New Zealand. In the 20th century it was carried out on a massive scale by the USSR in the Baltic Republics and Ukraine especially.
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