What's in a name?

Delphine Richards takes a fun look into how local places gottheir names.

The Goose and Cuckoo MOST of the names that have appeared in thiscolumn have been old, historic names.

However, this week it is a very old established public house/restaurant but with a 'new' name.

The previous name of the Goose and Cuckoo in Llangadog was TheCarpenter's Arms, but about five years ago, following new ownershipand management, it undertook something of a makeover, as well as anew identity.

The name 'Goose and Cuckoo' is not entirely original as there isa public house of the same name near Abergavenny.

That particular property was part of the Llanover Estate and wasrun by two women who were extremely different in character and eachcalled after the relevant bird she resembled!

This was during the early part of the 1800s and at the time thatthe Temperance movement was at its heyday.

Temperance By an unhappy coincidence, Lady Llanover was a leadinglight in the Temperance Society and ordered the closing down of alllicensed premises on her estate.

But the Goose and Cuckoo, somehow avoided detection and closureand remains to this day.

Which brings us to the Llangadog 'Goose and Cuckoo' and itsconnection with its namesake.

The proprietors, Paul Williams and Luke Jones, had a fascinationfor the tale of the original G & C and thought it was particularlyappropriate for their restaurant.

However, it was not because they have two goose-like and cuckoo-like women working in the background!

Profound Instead, there is a far more profound explanation.

The location of the Goose and Cuckoo is at the fork in the roadin Llangadog village. One road takes the traveller towardsLlandovery while the other route goes in the direction of BrynammanMountain.

A feature of the Brynamman road is the quirkily named 'Tro'rGwcw' (Cuckoo Bend - a name covered in this column in the past).Llandovery (also covered in this column recently) was well known forits droving history -- the cattle being herded and guarded by geesewhile they travelled.

This makes 'our' Goose and Cuckoo well named enough to feature inthe history books of the future.

My thanks to Paul and Luke for their helpful information.