You Say Garnish ...

There are at least two place names for every location in Ireland, one in English and one in Irish or Gaelic. This can be a bit confusing, of course. In the case of the village in which I'm staying, the English spelling is Garnish, while the Gaelic is spelling is Garinish. Most of the time the spellings aren't that closely related.

Then there are the multiple-choice pub names. Under Irish law, pubs must keep the name attached to the building. So D. McCarthy's pub in Youghal, Co. Cork, for example, was previously known as the Imperial Hotal, circa 1700, under British rule. The pub has had at least two incarnations in recent times, with the current owner being Jim Browne.