On 22 November 1922, William Burd, of 43 Lindsay Road, Glasnevin, visited Marsh’s Library for the first time and signed the register in English 

One week later, on his fifth visit William first signed his name in cló Gaelach, as ‘W MacBurd’ of ‘Bothar Linsai’, changing his address on 19 December to ‘Gleas na naomhan’, an Irish language form of ‘Glasnevin’.

Over the next few weeks, he tested three different spellings of the placename. It took a few attempts, but he finally found an identity and a place in the new Irish state.

Citation:
William Burd is Ainm Dom,
Marsh's Library Exhibits: ‘Changed Utterly?’ curated by Elaine Doyle and Jason McElligott,
accessed May 19, 2025,
https://web.marshlibrary.ie/digi/exhibits/show/irishrevolution/item/636