Placename clue to hidden hazards

YOUR pictures of flooding (November 12) reminded me of a terrible tragedy when a young mother and baby were drowned at Coomhola in west Cork a few years ago.

Cúm Thóla of course means Valley of the Flash Floods as Gaeilge.

Similarly, the townland flooded at Athlone in your picture, Clonown, would lead me to believe it could be Cluain Abhann or the like in modern Irish, meaning Meadow of the River, or perhaps Clonownmore (Meadow of the Big River), as given on Logainm.ie website.

It would be well worth while for planners, architects and all those intending any building work to study the townland names as Gaeilge, as the Irish language names provide us with an invaluable font of knowledge.

Proinsias Ní Mhurchú

An tIonad Buail Isteach

Baile Átha Cliath