Opinion

Anahorish does appear on Ordnance Survey maps

WITH regard to the feature 'Heaney townland does not officially exist' (september 9), the statement that Anahorish does not appear on ordnance survey maps act is simply not true (see the latest ordnance survey 10,000 series, sheet 94 and 'Discoverer series, 1981 edition, sheet 14). The name also appears on historical ordnance survey maps from the year 1858 onwards. It is true that Anahorish (which is officially spelt Annahorish ) is not a townland - it is a district within the very large townland of The Creagh but this does not mean that anyone is claiming that Anahorish does not exist. The reason that Anahorish is not a townland is that it was not officially designated a townland in the late 1820s when the boundaries of townlands were finalised by the ordnance survey - it was certainly not magherafelt District Council who declared that Anahorish was part of The Creagh. To change the name of the townland of The Creagh to Anahorish would be a nonsense since the name The Creagh would then be lost and it would also be totally inaccurate since the name Anahorish refers to only a portion of The Creagh. There is a very strong argument that Anahorish should have been designated a townland by the ordnance survey in the late 1820s. After all, it is extensive enough to have subdivisions named Anahorish mcLorinan and Anahorish stewart and it has also given name to the local primary school which seamus Heaney attended. It also appears as a townland in some pre-ordnance survey documents. However, whether Anahorish could now be designated a townland is a legal question which I'm afraid I am not qualified to answer.