Systematic Generic Support for User Interfaces to Database Systems
GR/L02692

The Teallach Project - Reasons for the name

Due to the unusual name we have chosen for our project, we thought that it might be interesting to provide a short explanation.

An Teallach (pronounced: an tyaloch) is the mountain skyline which forms the background to our logo. It is a spectacular sandstone pinnacled ridge in Wester Ross, Scotland.

In Gaelic, teallach is usually taken to mean a smith's forge although, in the past, it was also used to refer to an anvil or furnace. The shape of the mountain ridge, especially when silhouetted against a red sky at sunset, is said to closely resemble the artifact after which it was named. There is also the Old Smithy at the northern foot of the mountain - so perhaps the less romantic explanation applies !

Ancient Celts rated the metal-working smith second only to the Gods themselves.

We chose the name teallach based on the fact that we are fundamentally trying to build a system (hence forging) which will allow the end users to forge their own interfaces !