Glengyre

Gleann Gadhar / Gobhar

Meaning

hound / goat glen

Settlement

Location

Wigtownshire

Dumfries and Galloway

DG9

NW994653

English / Map Form: Glengyre

Gaelic Form: Gleann Gadhar / Gobhar

Post Town: STRANRAER

Postcode area: DG9

County: Wigtownshire

Local Authority: Dumfries and Galloway

English / Map Form: Glengyre

Gaelic Form: Gleann Gadhar / Gobhar

Sources

Glengiris                 1457                        Reid, Wigtownshire Charters, no. 143
Glengors                 1506                        Reid, Wigtownshire Charters, no. 195
Glengyir                  1591                        RMS 1580-1593, no. 1957
Glengyre                 1600                        Retours (Wigton) 20
Glengyre                 1625                        Retours (Wigton) 60
Glenghyir                1654                        Blaeu Atlas
Glengyre                 1670                        Retours (Wigton) 154
Glengyre                 1684                        parish roll
Glen Gayr               1747-55                   Roy
Glengyr                   1782                        Ainslie
Glengyer                 1821                        Ainslie
Glengyer                 1826                        Thomson
Glengyre                 1849                        OS Six-inch 1st Ed.
GLENGYRE            1887                        Maxwell 193
Glengyre                 1901                        Bartholomew
Glengyre                 2015                        OS 1:25 Explorer Map 309

“Glengyre, the twa Glengiris, is probably gleann nan gadhar, ‘the greyhounds’ glen’, with a possible reference to hunting with dogs. The plural form probably implies a reference to the modern Meikle Glengyre and one of the two Little Glengyres, probably that farther from Meikle Glengyre.” MacQueen 2002: 78

Additional Information

Next to Glengyre is Eldrig Hill NX001662 ~ An Eileirig, ‘the deer trap’, which supports MacQueen’s theory of hunting with dogs.

It is unclear if this name refers to hounds or goats. Gobhar, ‘goat’ is quite a common element in place-names with Càrn nan Gobhar, ‘the càrn of the goats’ being a popular example. Little is known about the Gaelic dialect of the area and the naming patterns. Further investigation is required.