Tucker's Street taken from an 1830s Ordnance Survey Ireland Map. Courtesy of Ordnance Survey Ireland
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‘Is this the elusive Mr. Tucker’ is the title of local historian Johnny Mee’s article on the subject of Tucker Street. Little is known of the individual apart from the fact that he lived beside Tuckers Lake, Ballinacorriga and was a lieutenant in the 17th Dragoons.
However, Liam Egan believes that the name Tucker is taken from the Irish word ‘Tochar’ meaning ‘a way across’ or a ‘causeway’. He infers that it is one of the oldest names in the town. According to Egan Tucker Street would have been named because it was the marshy way out towards the lake. A further theory is proposed by local historian Noel Campbell. He believes that Tucker Street is named after the linen trade. Tucking, was a process in the making of the cloth and the women that procured this employment lived near the Linenhall i.e. Tucker Street. Furthermore, Tuckers Lake was so named as the water used in the tucking process was drawn from there. In addition, a story told by J. Rainsfort of Thomas Street found in the Schools Manuscript Collection relates that a young boy named Tucker was drowned at the lake in the 1800s thus becoming Tucker’s Lake and from that the road to the lake becoming known as Tucker Street. Inconclusive. Click here for Ellison Street |