A boreen or bohereen (/bɔːˈriːn/ bor-EEN; Irish: bóithrín [ˈbˠoː(h)ɾʲiːnʲ, bˠoː(h)ˈɾʲiːnʲ], meaning 'a little road') is a country lane, or narrow, frequently unpaved, rural road in Ireland.[1][2][3]
"Boreen" also appears sometimes in names of minor urban roads such as Saint Mobhi Bóithrín (Irish: Bóithrín Mobhí), commonly known as Mobhi Boreen in Glasnevin, Dublin.[4][5] To be considered a boreen the road or path should not be wide enough for two cars to pass and have grass growing in the middle.[citation needed]
Boreens may be private rights of way that are not open for public use.[6]
In parts of Ulster, a boreen is often called a loanin, an Ulster Scots word.
- ^ Boreen. Focail.ie, national database of Irish language terminology. Retrieved: 2016-04-10.
- ^ Boreen. Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla (Ó Dónaill, 1977). Retrieved: 2016-04-10.
- ^ boreen, n. Oxford English Dictionary, Second edition, 1989; online version November 2010. Retrieved: 2011-01-04.
- ^ Saint Mobhi Bóithrín at Irish Placenames Database. Retrieved: 2011-01-04.
- ^ Mobhi Boreen on Google Maps. Retrieved: 2011-01-04.
- ^ "Rights of way".