Upper and Lower Galliagh form the townland of Ballynagalliagh in western County Londonderry. Upper Galliagh borders the townland of Elagh More which lies directly upon the border with County Donegal, between the Buncrana Road and Ballyarnett. Lower Galliagh is a buffer between Upper Galliagh and the outer urban edge of Derry and the townland of Shantallow. The boundary of lower Galliagh is the burn which runs behind the White Chapel at Galliagh estate.
The townland has been zoned for large scale housing and commercial development in the Derry Area Plan 2011. The completion of the Skeoge Link in 2008 has allowed for some 3,000 new homes to be built in the area.[2]
Galliagh comes from the IrishCalliagh/Galliagh which translates as either "nuns" or "old hags". The area may originally have been called ClongoliaghorGlengalliagh. The anglicised name is appropriately Glenabbey.[citation needed]