Nothing is ever simple in our wee country - but we wouldn't change it for the world.
So it is no shock that a number of local street and place names don't resemble the way it is meant to be pronounced, catching out locals and tourists alike.
While some are worth an honest guess, others still have us wondering how on earth they came to sound like that.
Read more: 25 things to do and see in Belfast in 2025
Read more: New restaurants, cafes and bars to check out in 2025
Here are some of the most common place names in NI that cause confusion:
Belvoir
We've all met someone who's pronounced the 'L'.
For those not from here, it's spoken the same as 'Beaver'.
Aughnacloy
That's 'Awk-na-cloy'.
Lisnagunogue
One that a lot of people even from here might struggle with.
This Co Antrim town is pronounced like 'lis-na-gun-yah '.
Portglenone
'Port-glen-own', not 'Port-glen-none'.
And if you said 'Port-glen-ONE' you'd rightly be laughed out of Co Antrim.
Augher...
The key to getting Irish placenames right is embracing the 'auw' sound. That goes from 'Auw-er'.
...Clogher
The trick in pronouncing this Tyrone town is to say 'Clauw-er', with a soft, breathy 'auw' sound (hint, these two rhyme).
Doagh
This Antrim town is one that always trips people up. Locals go with a sound similar to 'Doak', and not 'Do-a'.
Tyrone
Hint: There's no 'tie' in Tyrone.
Cregagh
Another one from East Belfast that can get people.
Pronounced 'craig-y'.
Maghaberry
All about where to put the stress in the word. 'Ma-GHA-berry', for those who aren't sure.
Lisnasharragh
A relatively straightforward one but it can still trip people up. 'Liz-na-sha-ra'.
Boho
A simple 'Boh' will do it.
Bangor
A simple one that sometimes trips up people not from here. There's been many a visitor who's pronounced it similar to 'Banger', and not 'Bang-gore'.
Ahoghill
Don't go the full 'hog' with this one. Similar to Clogher, it's 'A-hauw-hill'.
Ballynahinch
As with many Northern Irish place names, Sat-navs and visitors alike can over-egg things, with this placename sometimes getting pronounced 'Bally-NA-hinch', when there's no stress needed on the 'Na' sound.
Lisnaskea
'Liz-na-ski' - although some older people in Fermanagh might pronounce the last part with a sound closer to 'skay'.
Stormont
We've all heard a foreign reporter refer to the political situation at 'Stor-MOUNT'.
Armagh
Americans have been known to jumble it up into a sound closer to 'Urma'. For those who don't know, it's 'Ar-ma'.
Cuilcagh
Even locals don't always agree on how to pronounce this one, with 'Cwhale-ca' and 'Cwool-ca' being some of the pronunciations offered. If you're out for a day trip and want to stay safe, just stick with 'Stairway to Heaven Boardwalk'.
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
English (United States) ·