About Us

The Society holds two public lectures per annum, one of which is preceded by
the Annual General Meeting. The lectures are given by established experts in
the field. Society members give presentations on local place-names to
community groups and other organisations.

The Society produces a journal, Ainm: A Journal of Name Studies, every 2 years. In addition to its journal, the UPNS produces a bi-annual newsletter which keeps members informed of its activities and also of any other ongoing research on local place-names and related matters. Other important UPNS publications are A Dictionary of Ulster Place-Names (1999: 2nd edition 2007) and Lough Neagh Places: Their Names and Origins
(2007) which can be found here.

To this end the Society also co-operates with other local groups, such as the Federation
for Ulster Local Studies. More widely, the Society maintains links with place-
name societies and scholars worldwide.

In 1999 the Society produced a much-acclaimed travelling exhibition named
Ulster’s Townlands, which has toured widely in Ireland, Scotland
and Wales and continues to tour in Northern Ireland.

The Society has roughly one hundred members, including private individuals as
well as institutions, such as libraries and other societies. The Society is run
by a committee, details of which can be found in our Constitution. Members
pay an annual subscription, for which they receive a free copy of the
Society’s journal. The Society’s accounts are audited annually.