Ardnaclowney Drive
Location: Beechmount, West Belfast
Postcode: BT12
Developed: Mid-1990s
Overview
Ardnaclowney Drive is a residential street located in the Beechmount ward of West Belfast. Developed in the mid-1990s, the street comprises primarily social housing, including bungalows, houses, wheelchair-accessible units, and a sheltered housing complex—Ardnaclowney House, built in 1997 by Habinteg Housing Association. The area is within the Belfast West parliamentary constituency and retains strong links to its linguistic and geographical heritage.
Origins of the Name “Clowney”
The name Clowney originates from the Irish Cluanaigh (later An Chluanaí), meaning “meadowy place” or simply “the meadows.” Historical evidence suggests that by the 17th century, "Clowney" referred primarily to a small stream, later known as the Clowney Water, and the surrounding townland. The term does not refer to a grand estate, but to local topography—the river, the bridge, and the fertile meadows through which it flowed.
???? Clowney Water and Industrial Legacy
The Clowney Water was a tributary of the Forth/Blackstaff River system. It played a significant role in the development and naming of the area:
Local industry also reflected the name:
Ardnaclowney Drive & Modern Usage
The modern street name Ardnaclowney combines “ard” (Irish for “height” or “hill”) with “Clowney”, likely intended to evoke “hill of the meadows.” It follows a common Belfast practice of preserving historic Irish place-names in newer housing developments.
In Summary
The street name Ardnaclowney Drive preserves an ancient name with deep geographical and cultural roots in west Belfast’s Irish heritage. From a 17th-century townland and glen-side stream to a modern residential road, Clowney has evolved—but its name endures, layered into the fabric of the Falls Road area through bridges, bricks, and bungalows.
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