Glengyre
Gleann Gadhar / Gobhar
Meaning
hound / goat glen
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.