St Meryl Park, Belfast
Date named: 17 November 1936
Irish name: Páirc Naomh Muirgheal (Saint Muirgheal’s Park)
Location: Off Andersonstown Park, near Glen Road, West Belfast
Developer: Messrs. McAuley McIlroy & Co.
Origin of the Name
St Meryl Park was named in November 1936, as recorded in Belfast Corporation’s Improvement Committee minutes:
“That the following names for new streets be approved — ‘St Meryl Park’ for a new street off Andersonstown Park on the property of Messrs. McAuley McIlroy & Co.”
There is no known Saint Meryl in Christian tradition. The name is likely a variant of Muriel, derived from the Irish Muirgheal (“bright sea”). The use of “St” aligns with a wider naming convention in Catholic parts of Belfast to give streets a saintly or ecclesiastical feel, even when not commemorating a specific figure.
The official Irish translation, visible on bilingual signage, is Páirc Naomh Muirgheal.
Development History
St Meryl Park was developed in the late 1930s on the rural edge of Belfast, just as suburban growth was accelerating. It appeared in the 1939 Belfast Street Directory, confirming homes were occupied by then.
Sources
Summary
Named in 1936, St Meryl Park reflects the cultural naming practices of its time, blending Irish linguistic heritage with suburban development. While not linked to an actual saint, its name evokes a Gaelic past and fits the religious tone of the area. Today, it remains a well-established and peaceful street in West Belfast, with a long-standing sense of community.
"Resolved - That the following names for new streets be approved - St Meryl Park" for a new street off Andersonstown Park on the property of Messrs. McAuley Mcllroy & Co." (IC, 17th November 1936)".