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Celtic Place-Name Explainer
Irish · Gaeilge

Béal Feirste

/bʲeːl̪ˠ ˈfʲɛɾˠʃtʲə/

Anglicised as Belfast

Place-name meaning, origin and pronunciation

“mouth of the Farset” — where the river Farset crossed a tidal sandbar.

Broken down
Béal
béal
mouth
Mouth of a river or approach; also “Bel-” in anglicised names.
Feirste
fearsaid (gen.)
of the sandbar ford
The Farset, a tidal sandbank crossing, now culverted under High Street.
Nearby & related:

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