The legacy of one of Ireland’s most renowned Gaelic scholars will be explored at Queen’s University this Thursday, November 12.

Anyone with an interest in the history of Irish place-names can learn about the work of John O’Donovan, who is recognised as one of Ireland’s greatest scholars and a pioneering toponymist — an expert on the history of place-names — a Queen’s spokeswoman said.

O’Donovan was the first Professor of Celtic Languages at Queen’s College Belfast — the forerunner to Queen’s University. He is best known for his work advising the Ordnance Survey on Irish place-names and for his editions of several important early Irish texts, most notably of Annála Ríoghachta Éireann (The Annals of the Four Masters).

The public talk by Dr Nollaig Ó Muráile of the National University of Ireland, Galway will take place at 8pm in room G06 of the Peter Froggatt Centre at the university.

The talk is one of the highlights of an international conference at Queen’s exploring early Irish and Scottish place-names.